From his studio in São Paulo, the contemporary artist Vik Muniz joined the Spanish class “The Symbolic Enchilada” via video conference last Wednesday, November 11th. Muniz discussed the historical relations between art and different visual regimes, media interfaces, the fragility of visual memory, and waste as raw material for both artistic creation and critical thinking. He answered questions from Notre Dame students regarding his involvement in education, visual literacy, creativity and a pedagogy of liberation. Muniz also presented his recent work Sandcastles, product of his time at MIT, as well as his most recent project on the materiality of memory and family photo albums.
This videoconference followed the screening of the documentary Waste Land that took place on Nov. 5th. For this event, professor Ann Mische, director of the Kroc Institute’s doctoral studies, specializing in civil and social movements in Brazil, moderated the debate.
These events were organized by Paola Uparela and Carlos Jauregui, and sponsored by the Center for Social Concerns, the Center for Latino Studies, Jeffrey Miller from OIT, the Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters’ - Teaching Beyond the Classroom Grant, and the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures.