Aurèlia Muñoz (Barcelona, 1926-2011) is one of only a handful of Spanish women artists whose work has been exhibited in the permanent collection of New York’s MoMA. Vindicating the central role she played in textile art from the 1960s onwards, this recognition was a necessary re-interpretation of her work; following her death, her art ceased to be included in relevant theme exhibitions and many leading public museums. This situation was further exacerbated by the fact that textile art had increasingly been relegated to a secondary place on the contemporary scene, frequently viewed as just a minor artform or craft (and furthermore, one that was largely created by women). Muñoz’s work was often pigeonholed as decorative art, but she herself frequently defended it as contemporary art.
Muñoz’ studied at the Escola Massana in Barcelona. Her first pieces, made in the early 1960's, used techniques such as embroidery. Her principal references included Paul Klee, Torres Garcia and the eleventh-century ’Tapestry of Creation’ in Gerona. At the same time, she designed theatre costumes (constructed in a way that is reminiscent of Oskar Schlemmer’s work) and explored the field of collage, from whence she was drawn to patchwork.
In the mid-1960s, she began to introduce a three-dimensional element to her work and in 1969 she first discovered the possibilities of macramé, creating sculptures which she placed in Perspex boxes. She then began producing monumental (but visibly lightweight) knotted constructions; it was at this point that she joined the Nouvelle Tapisserie movement. Her work from this period occupies the space organically with intersecting planes. It was also at this time that her art began to reach a wider international audience. She exhibited at the Lausanne Biennials in 1966, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1977 and 1983 and at the São Paulo Biennial in 1973.
In the late 1970s, Muñoz began a series of site-specific monumental pieces, with references to sails or birds, as she explored the intersection between art and architecture. In her final research, she further explored the notion of lightness, experimenting with paper.
Aurèlia Muñoz (Barcelona, 1926-2011) is one of only a handful of Spanish women artists whose work has been exhibited in the permanent collection of New York’s MoMA. Vindicating the central role she played in textile art from the 1960s onwards, this recognition was a necessary re-interpretation of her work; following her death, her art ceased to be included in relevant theme exhibitions and many leading public museums. This situation was further exacerbated by the fact that textile art had increasingly been relegated to a secondary place on the contemporary scene, frequently viewed as just a minor artform or craft (and furthermore, one that was largely created by women). Muñoz’s work was often pigeonholed as decorative art, but she herself frequently defended it as contemporary art.
Muñoz’ studied at the Escola Massana in Barcelona. Her first pieces, made in the early 1960's, used techniques such as embroidery. Her principal references included Paul Klee, Torres Garcia and the eleventh-century ’Tapestry of Creation’ in Gerona. At the same time, she designed theatre costumes (constructed in a way that is reminiscent of Oskar Schlemmer’s work) and explored the field of collage, from whence she was drawn to patchwork.
In the mid-1960s, she began to introduce a three-dimensional element to her work and in 1969 she first discovered the possibilities of macramé, creating sculptures which she placed in Perspex boxes. She then began producing monumental (but visibly lightweight) knotted constructions; it was at this point that she joined the Nouvelle Tapisserie movement. Her work from this period occupies the space organically with intersecting planes. It was also at this time that her art began to reach a wider international audience. She exhibited at the Lausanne Biennials in 1966, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1977 and 1983 and at the São Paulo Biennial in 1973.
In the late 1970s, Muñoz began a series of site-specific monumental pieces, with references to sails or birds, as she explored the intersection between art and architecture. In her final research, she further explored the notion of lightness, experimenting with paper.