Juan Munoz: A Place Called Abroad [Hardcover]

Lynne Cooke (Author), Michael Govan (Author), Juan Munoz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2000

Artwork by Juan Munoz. Text by Lynne Cooke, Michael Govan.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

One of the leading artists of his generation, the Spanish sculptor Juan Muñoz (1953-2001) was known for his diverse and highly original body of work centering on the narrative possibilities of figures in environments. Juan Muñoz 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.

Muñoz'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-mâché, resin, and eventually bronze, Muñoz limited their size and descriptive details to heighten their psychological impact. In the 1990s, Muñoz 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, Muñoz's work explores the nature of psychological interaction and engages the viewer on a variety of perceptual levels.

Juan Muñoz 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 Muñoz is the most comprehensive overview of this challenging and exciting artist's work.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Neal Benezra is the deputy director and curator of modern and comtemporary art at the Art Institute of Chicago.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Dia Art Foundation (January 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944521398
• ISBN-13: 978-0944521397
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 7.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,443,298 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lavish display of art, December 13, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Juan Munoz (Hardcover)

Juan Munoz is not only a catalog accompanying the first major survey of Munoz's work in this country, but the most comprehensive study of his work in print. Color illustrations of all the works in the exhibition accompany essays and an interview with the late artist; all of which reveal facets of his techniques and intentions. The lavish display of his art introduces readers to the range of his abilities.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent document of an important artist's life, July 17, 2003

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Juan Munoz (Hardcover)

Sadly, Juan Munoz, the uniquely gifted artist from Spain, died far too early. His gifts as a sculptor and a draughtsman and a sage were most impressive. This catalogue which accompanies a travelling exhibition now in Los Angeles is in every way a fitting tribute to Munoz. Not only are the essays included insightful, they also heighten the excitement engendered by walking in and around and through the works of the clever and tender Munoz. No easy task this, as Munoz himself said 'much of the art is dependent on the interaction between the viewer and the pieces.' The caliber of photography is uniformly excellent with as much sensitivity to the various arrangements of Munoz' "Everyman" figurative sculptures as to the "Raincoat" drawings. When the catalogue was first published Munoz was very much alive and part of the exhibition at the Tate Modern in London. Now we have only his notes, some videos of his installations which include conversations with the artist, and this elegant catalogue to document a meaningful life and body of work. A Highly Recommended book on just about every level.