Oscar Muñoz

Oscar Muñoz (born 1951) is a Colombian visual artist. He is known as one of the most significant contemporary visual artists in his country, and his work has also gained international recognition. Most of his art is concerned with the idea of representation, and his choice of art medium moves freely between photography (photorealism), printmaking, graphite drawing, installation art, audiovisual media, and sculpture. He also explores how images relate to memory, loss, and the precarious nature of human life. As a child, Muñoz was attracted to drawing, and considered it one of his favorite pastimes.

Selected artworks and analysis Inquilinatos (Tenements), charcoal drawings, 1971–1972 ), and it was through these pictures that Muñoz first began to receive attention for his work.

Cortinas de Baño (Shower Curtains), installation art/photograph transferred to curtain using acrylics, 1985–1989 This series marked a turning point in Muñoz's career. Up until this point his works had consisted primarily of hyper-realistic charcoal drawings and photographs, so this marked the beginning of exploring the use of new materials in his art. Shower Curtains was an installation piece consisting of several bathroom curtains placed side-by-side. On each curtain a silhouette of a body is portrayed in different poses, making it look as if someone is standing behind the curtain and taking a shower. In order to get the images transferred onto the shower curtains, Muñoz used an airbrush and silkscreen to stain the curtains. This technique was meant to make it unclear to the spectator whether or not there was actually someone standing behind the curtain.

Re/trato (Self-Portrait), video of water on cement, 2004 In this work, a video is played which shows a hand using water to paint a portrait onto hot cement, however, the water continually evaporates before the portrait can be completed. This work plays on Muñoz's impulse to keep memory alive, and the frustration that can come along with that attempt. 2014: portrait(self)portrait, Prince Claus Fund Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2015: Atramentos, Tabacalera, Promocíon del Arte, ARCO Madrid, Madrid Spain 2015: Sedimentaciones, University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Institute for Research in Art, College of the Arts, Tampa, FL, USA 2016: El Coleccionista (The Collector), Sicardi Gallery, Houston, TX, USA

Awards 2018: Hasselblad Foundation Award