Lifestyling® by Maria Gabriela Brito: THE GENIUS OF VIK MUNIZ

Vik's self portrait created with circular paper remnants

Art critics, curators, gallerists and just plain fans can spend hours writing about this brilliant Brazilian artist who lives in Brooklyn and whose name is Vik Muniz. I love Vik, collect him, and truly believe that he is one of the greatest contemporary artists of the 21st century.

"Mass" -Created with chocolate syrup

Upon seeing his work for the first time, I realized I had to own one of his pieces. I was captivated by his originality, uniqueness, the beauty and the passion in his work, and immediately became a fan, a follower and a collector.

Orphan Girl at the Cemetery, after Delacroix, from the Gordian Puzzles series

Each series of photographs usually consists of six images and an artist’s proof, and they are usually produced in two different sizes. The subject matter of Muniz’s work is compelling. The story and rationale behind the photographs is as interesting as the images themselves. For example, Vik takes a photo of a child from the island of St. Kitts and with the amazing technique that he has developed throughout the years, he copies –in a magnificent way- the same image but with sugar sprinkled over the paper. Take for instance, a kid roaming the streets of Sao Paulo whose picture Vik has copied employing the urban waste that’s been left on the floor after the festivities of the Brazilian carnival take place. Or, he can be inspired by an old master’s work (say the Van Gogh Sunflowers or the Medusa by Caravaggio) and create a whole different setting (and series) with pigments, diamonds, caviar, toys (my favorite series and which he calls “Rebus”) or tiny pieces of paper, or junk-- even chocolate syrup. Vik can put it all together in one of his studios (he has one in Brooklyn and one in Rio) and photograph the composition with a special camera and a special lens, sometimes even from a considerable height for yet another perspective.

Diana and Endymion (Detail), after Francesco Mola. This one is made of junk!

Vik Muniz’s technique is flawless; his images are beautiful, colorful and crystal clear. His studio people work really hard at making sure that the end product delivered to collectors, galleries and museums is impeccable. Let me delight my eyes and yours with images of his work. Enjoy!