Muñoz believed that a sculpture is activated by its relationship to the viewer and the surrounding architecture. Understanding that sculpture only makes sense in human terms, his figures function as mini narratives that playfully, almost mischievously, speak to the lives we lead, our relationship to the world around us, and the enigma of the smallest human gesture. This holds true even when presented with a single figure, as seen in many of the works on view in the exhibition. Rooted in notions of spectatorship espoused by minimalist artists such as Donald Judd, to look at a Muñoz sculpture is to enter a theatrical world in which all is not what it seems.
This is perhaps most evident in pieces that utilize the wall or the ceiling, involving the entire space as part of the work. Albuquerque Balcony (1993), for instance, reveals two characteristically gray figures seated across from each other on a cramped balcony positioned over the viewer’s head. One of the earliest motifs to enter the artist’s lexicon, the balcony manipulates the surrounding architecture in a theatrical manner, shifting the relationship between work and viewer. By forcing the viewer to come closer than is natural, and to crane their neck to see the piece in full, Muñoz’s trickster side comes out—a description he welcomed and cultivated. Tricks of scale and slights of hand continue in Three Laughing at One (2000), which is rendered at slightly smaller than life-size and positioned just high enough on the wall that the three men appear not only in a fit of raucous laughter, but higher up and farther away than they really are, which draws the viewer in closer. Once the viewer arrives at the proper point of engagement, it becomes clear that they are the “one” in the work’s title—the one being laughed at, the one who fell into their trap. Suspended from the ceiling Hanging Figure (1997), inspired by the acrobat in Edgar Degas’ 1879 painting Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando, is simultaneously intriguing and unsettling, a viscerally felt piece as well as a visually seen one. The viewer is here forced to crane their neck to take in the full scope of the work, creating a new rapport and verticality.
Space takes on an existential quality in Walking with a pointing stick (2001). Part of a series of Chinese figures Muñoz started in the 1990s, the man’s face elicits a self-awareness in the viewer as they contemplate his tenderly frozen expression. Stuck in mid-laugh, as many of his figures are, this man distances himself from the viewer instead of drawing them in closer. Muñoz consciously evokes a feeling of “otherness” throughout this series, to, in his words, “behave as a mirror that cannot reflect.”[1] In presenting an archetype more than an individualized figure, Man with a pointing stick allows the audience to look, but not see. Futhermore, he is imbued with a tension between movement and stasis: the man is walking, and yet he has no feet. Likewise, Untitled (1991), with its voluminous round bottom, feels like it could topple over at any minute, and yet he remains firmly upright, while Blotter Figures: Coming Towards (1999) can move forward with ease, and yet cannot see where he is going. These choices not only remove any sense of naturalism from the figures, but their singularity as figures investigate solitude and the failures of communication, balancing conviction and a lack of conviction.
Muñoz belongs to an important group of sculptors from the 1980s and 1990s such as Robert Gober, Charles Ray, and Thomas Schütte who reinvigorated the human form in three dimensions, ushering in a new era of the medium—a trend seen throughout those decades across all media by painters including Eric Fischl, David Salle, George Condo, and Jeff Koons. Taking the interest in space and formal discipline of minimalism, coupling it with the intellectual restraint of conceptual art, and transferring it to figuration, Muñoz’s figures are at once humorous and fraught, unsettling and inviting, alive and frozen. They reveal his deep understanding of art history and the human condition, yet deny the viewer the satisfaction of teaching us some sort of universal truth. Instead, Muñoz’s leaves his viewer with allegories, speaking in three-dimensions what we cannot in words.
[1] Juan Muñoz quoted in Paul Schimmel, “An Interview with Juan Muñoz,” in Juan Muñoz (Washington D.C.: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 2001), 150.

Paris

France

Searching for information and tickets regarding Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris taking place in Paris on Mar 21–Apr 27, 2024 (UTC+1)? Trip.com has you covered. Check the dates, itineraries, and other information about Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris now! Trip.com has also prepared more similar exciting activities and discounted flight and hotel packages.

Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris: Tickets, Dates & Itineraries | Trip.com

Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris

Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards

Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Trip.com

null | Trip.com

Spread the word! Share your result with friends and discover their opinions!

Hotel de Crillon A Rosewood Hotel

Near Louvre Museum|Champs Elysées, Paris

Luxury Hotels

Plaza Athénée Paris & Dior Spa

Disneyland Paris

Immediate access

Book now for today

Best Things to Do

Amusement parks

Night view

M86***49

On the day I rushed to Disneyland Paris, my 30-year-old turned 3! At the beginning of the fireworks show at Sleeping Beauty Castle, the French child next to me was excited to put marshmallows on my coat. When the Grizzly Valley roller coaster swooped, my screams sounded louder than the tracks. The most funny thing is to take a photo with Donald Duck, it actually pointed to the high flying ears I wear - even the doll has idol baggage!

Louvre Museum

Book now for tomorrow

Museums

呆呆少a

Very good, the appearance is very gorgeous, you can enjoy many art works, see many artworks on the books, there is always a night in life that belongs to Paris, I hope everyone will come and play

Shangri-La Paris

Le Bristol Paris - an Oetker Collection Hotel

Near Avenue des Champs-Élysées|Champs Elysées, Paris

The Peninsula Paris

Eiffel Tower

When queuing, I complained that &quot;not just an iron shelf&quot;, but the elevator rose to the second floor and it was really fragrant! The whole Paris suddenly spread out under our feet and the Seine became a flash necklace. The most amazing thing was the whole flashing light moment, the whole &quot;wow&quot; sounded, and my hands were shaking with champagne. After coming down, lying flat on the lawn of Warsaw Square, I found that the empty light and shadow of the tower fell on the selfie face - this wave of ticket money and blood!

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

SUNSHINE ONUS

Notre Dame is worth it. It is one of the most famous attractions in Paris and a must visit attraction. It was rainy today and the queue was long. Very crowded. Enter the interior of Notre Dame, deeply attracted by the exquisite religious works of the interior decoration, statues, murals, tapestries and so on. Taking a lot of photos and reading a lot of religious knowledge. Worth a visit.

Palace of Versailles

Historic buildings

Versailles is one of France&#39;s most famous palaces, with its magnificent architecture and exquisite gardens breathtaking. The interior of the palace is decorated with luxurious tapestries and murals that showcase the luxury and power of the French royal family. What impressed me most was the mirror hall, with its spacious spaces and gorgeous mirrors and lamps, as if entering a dream world. The gardens around the palace are vast, with fountains, sculptures and neatly manicured gardens showing the ultimate aesthetic of gardening. Visiting the Palace of Versailles is not only a visual feast, but also an experience of crossing history.

Time:	Mar 21–Apr 27, 2024 (UTC+1) ENDED
Location:	2 Avenue Matignon, 75008

Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris

Details

Vote

Are you interested in Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards?

Recommended Products for Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris

Hotel de Crillon A Rosewood Hotel

Plaza Athénée Paris & Dior Spa

Disneyland Paris

Louvre Museum

Shangri-La Paris

Le Bristol Paris - an Oetker Collection Hotel

The Peninsula Paris

Eiffel Tower

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Palace of Versailles

Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris

Details

Vote

Are you interested in Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards?

Recommended Products for Juan Muñoz: Coming Towards | Paris

Hotel de Crillon A Rosewood Hotel

Plaza Athénée Paris & Dior Spa

Disneyland Paris

Louvre Museum

Shangri-La Paris

Le Bristol Paris - an Oetker Collection Hotel

The Peninsula Paris

Eiffel Tower

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Palace of Versailles

More contents about Paris