Juan Munoz

One of the leading artists of his generation, the Spanish sculptor Juan Munoz (1953-2001) was known for his diverse and highly original body of work centering on the narrative possibilities of figures in environments".Juan Munoz" illustrates in full color approximately sixty works – including sculptures, drawings, and several major installations – which will be included in a major exhibition presented by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Art Institute of Chicago in October 2001.

Munoz's early work focused on architectural objects that implied a transitory human presence. Then, defying the trend among progressive artists, he began to introduce figures into his work. Casting his figures in papier-mache, resin, and eventually bronze, Munoz limited their size and descriptive details to heighten their psychological impact. In the 1990s, Munoz created his signature "conversation pieces", large ensembles of figures installed in indoor or outdoor settings. Calling upon a wide range of sources in literature, music, film, as well as painting and sculpture, Munoz's work explores the nature of psychological interaction and engages the viewer on a variety of perceptual levels.

"Juan Munoz" includes essays by Neal Benezra, art critic Michael Brenson, and Olga Viso, as well as an interview with the artist by Paul Shimmel. Also featuring highlights from a 2001 installation commissioned by London's Tate Modern, "Juan Munoz" is the most comprehensive overview of this challenging and exciting artist's work.


Contents:

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Lenders to the Exhibition
Sculpture and Paradox – Neal Benezra
Selected Texts – Juan Munoz
Plates
Catalogue of the Exhibition
An Interview with Juan Munoz – Paul Schimmel
Sound, Sight, Statuary – Michael Brenson
Suspicions of the Gaze – Olga M. Viso
Documentation – Stephanie D'Alessandro
List of Illustrations
Credits