Upon researching different aspects of Vik Muniz’s personal life, art works, and inspirations, I have gathered more information than I thought, information about different countries, artists, or food. As I researched Vik Muniz, and how he came about to be an artist, I learned not only about his art and current exhibitions in galleries around the world, but also how he is as a person.
I have learned that he is a humble man, and knows how to go back to his roots. Vik Muniz was born into a working class family in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He did not grow up with luxuries, but today, he is able to give back to those who are currently in a similar situation. Most of the subjects in his portraits are those belonging to the working class, which can be seen in “Waste Land,” a documentary by Lucy Walker, starring Muniz himself, and the garbage pickers of Jardim Gramacho. I watched this film in my sophomore year, and I thought it was the most touching and genuine documentaries I have ever seen. He is humble, and generous, and is able to connect with every person he collaborates with for his projects.
I saw him as a bold character, with a lot of guts and imagination. For instance, his encounter with the guards on the train on the way to Hungary and having to prove he was an artist on the spot. Also, his story of how he managed to come to the United States is also memorable and comical. It was that night, both unlucky and lucky, that would set his life on the path of art.
I admire the fact that Vik Muniz is able to make recreations of masterpieces made from everyday household items such as cotton, peanut butter and jelly, and even objects that we usually discard and forget about; garbage. He has a talent for making the mundane beautiful, making you think twice about the next time you see that item. When you see that item in its ordinary context, such as a jar of spaghetti sauce on your pantry shelf, just imagine that it could be used to create the next replication of Marilyn Monroe. See? You don’t need expensive oil paints or acrylic. You just need imagination.
The topics I enjoyed researching the most, was of course, the food. Learning the origins of my cup of Starbucks coffee was mind opening. I discovered the origins of sugar and coffee, how they are cultivated, where they are popular, and the countries that were birthed from the production of a bean or a crystal. Learning that something as simple as sugar and coffee having that much power over how trade among nations developed was enlightening.
Vik Muniz’s sense of humor pokes through some of his work, such his Clown Skull sculpture of 1989. Also his pictures of clouds with the help of a skywriter add a surreal and cartoonish feel in contrast to the harsh real world. And lastly, his earth works of monumental scaled envelopes and scissors making an incision through the earth’s surface. He is a creative comedian.
In almost every Catholic family’s household is a replica of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci either in the kitchen, or in the dining room. I see it in many of my friend’s homes. I Walk in, look at it, recognize it because it is iconic, and then walk away. I did not think much of it. That changed. The Last Supper made it into my blog posts, and I explored it in depth. I learned about the creative process that Leonardo da Vinci went through prior to painting it (which took him three years). I learned of the story behind it and who the characters were that accompanied Jesus Christ at the dinner table. I also learned that various elements within the painting are grouped in threes.
There was one quote that Vik Muniz himself said; “The art field is kind to those who fail, as long as you use your failures for something else.” That quote gives me a sense of comfort, knowing the risk of going into the art field in today’s economy. It is okay to fail sometimes. It is okay to not do exactly what your life plan has told you to do. You use your hiccups for something else, and the same hiccups can set you forth a new direction.
What Vik Muniz does for the art world is innovative. He introduces new methods using new materials. He is also saint-like, when he gives back to the community, which definitely deserves people’s respect.
