 |
||
| Vik Muniz was born in
Saõ Paulo, Brazil. He was initially drawn to art because of
its ability to create interesting illusions. He has made his reputation
as an incredibly inventive artist using non-traditional materials,
such as sugar, thread, chocolate, and even diamonds to create beautiful
detailed drawings. Muniz currently lives and works in New York City.
Muniz was featured in a documentary about his artwork entitled Worst
Possible Illusion: The Curiosity Cabinet of Vik Muniz released
by Mixed Greens gallery in New York City. More information on Muniz
can also be found on his website.
Artist Vic Muniz creates complex images from non-traditional materials such as thread, dirt, and sugar. In this work, Muniz copied Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper using chocolate syrup. What you see here is a photograph of his chocolate drawing before he licked the image away. By enlarging the photograph of the chocolate drawing, the viewer notices the texture and glossy surface of the syrup. Muniz creates a type of illusion by doing so, that causes the viewer to wonder if they are seeing the actual chocolate, or a photograph. Muniz likes to think of himself as a magician, playing tricks on the viewer’s eyes and making it difficult to tell what exactly they are looking at.  (For Grades 3-5) Can you tell what material this is made out of? Why do you think the artist presented this artwork as a photograph? Have you ever created an artwork using everyday materials or materials other than paint or markers? Can you think of other materials you could use to create artwork? Do you recognize this artwork from somewhere else? What do you think happened to the original artwork done in chocolate? Why do you think the artist created his art with a material that wouldn’t last for a long time? |
||
| |
||
  |
||
Vik Muniz Brazil, born 1961 Milan, The Last Supper (from Pictures of Chocolate) Cibachrome, AP1, 3 parts, 38 x28 in, each of 3, 1997 Museum purchase, Contemporary Collectors Fund 1999.21.a-c © Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego |
||
| Explore Art page (kid-friendly) |
||
© 2005 CARE All rights reserved