Muñoz’s work combines photography with conventional drawing techniques and explores the impact of war on Colombian society. “Mirror Image”, his first solo exhibition in the UK, is at the Institute of International Visual Arts, London EC2, until 27 July. More info: http://www.iniva.org
- 1 Does art make a difference? Absolutely! It shows the complexity of life. It gives us different points of view. Perhaps art is the only thing that separates us humans from our companions in the animal kingdom.
- 2 Should politics and art mix? I personally don’t think art should be entirely political – the artist should keep a well-proportioned balance between politics and ethics. One of the things I find exciting is the permanent struggle among artists to expand the borders of what art can mean and what its content can be.
- 3 Is your work for the many or for the few? I would like my work to be for the many and I try hard to make this happen. In the end, I think each of my artworks finds the quality and quantity of observers that it merits.
- 4 If you were world leader, what would be your first law? I don’t think I would ever accept the position, especially if such an unsuitable person as me could be chosen! For the sake of this interview, however, my first law would be to abolish all armies.
- 5 Who would be your top advisers? The novelist Paul Auster, the Colombian journalist Fernando Garavito, currently exiled, and the actor Winona Ryder. You need to get the right mix of people to get the optimum advice.
- 6What, if anything, would you censor? I would censor only those people who feel the need to censor others.
- 7 If you had to banish one public figure, who would it be? I do not think it would be sane to banish someone who is contributing to public life, even if I do not agree with him or her.
- 8 What are the rules that you live by? I would like to have just two rules: love and respect.
- 9 Do you love your country? I am not at all a nationalist. In other words, my love for my country is so big that it breaks its borders.
- 10 Are we all doomed? Fortunately, we are just doomed to the passage of time.
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