MUSE
The Seduction of Art Conceptual multimedia Texas artist receives accolades for her diverse works including artist’s books, photography, installation and public art. Celia Álvarez Muñoz (’82 M.F.A.) likes to lure viewers with an image or a word. In examining issues of place, nation, culture and language, her objects and installations have tackled topics such as women’s issues and Latinx culture and have been displayed everywhere from an elementary school in New York City to the Whitney Biennial, considered one of the world’s most prestigious art exhibitions. Her decades of prolific work have earned her the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in the Visual Arts from the Houston Art League and the 2011 Texas State Artist 2D. “I hope people gain a sense of validation through my art,” she says. “I don’t make work that exposes suffering. I’m more about the celebration of who we are — the possibility and hope and of course ushering in the next generation.” Muñoz encourages the next generation of artists to keep organized and stay motivated. “You have to have goals,” she says. “How else can you challenge yourself? For me, I have to have that carrot dangling in front of me or the boot in the rear.”
20 north TEXAN
| northtexan.unt.edu | Fall 2021
Read more about Muñoz’s career and inspiration. northtexan.unt.edu/seduction-art
