Juan Muñoz. Stories of Art

Juan Muñoz (Madrid, 1953–2001), among Spain’s most influential contemporary artists, "returns" to the Museo del Prado—a recurring site of inspiration throughout his life. His work maintains a constant conceptual dialogue with Renaissance and Baroque painting, particularly through his sophisticated approach to perspective, composition, and staging.

The exhibition brings together a comprehensive selection of his output, including installations, figures, and books from the artist’s personal library, as well as drawings, prints, canvases, and artifacts presented in display cases.

These works highlight the profound connection between Muñoz and the Great Masters housed in the Prado, such as Velázquez and Goya, alongside the traditions of the Renaissance, Mannerism, and the Baroque. To create a more dynamic experience, several pieces extend beyond the temporary galleries into the Permanent Collection (Room 12/Velázquez and Room 28/Rubens), the South Staircase near the Murillo entrance, and the exterior plaza facing the Goya entrance. This exhibition is presented in collaboration with the City Council of Madrid.

Viewers are invited on a journey through the career of one of contemporary art's most singular sculptors, whose practice was defined by illusionism, theatricality, and the use of architecture as a fictional space. Influenced by Borromini, Bernini, Velázquez, and Goya, Muñoz created immersive settings where the visitor becomes an actor, witness, and protagonist in scenes laden with mystery and psychological tension.

Ultimately, this exhibition illustrates the link between contemporary art and the history of the medium—a subject Muñoz studied with passionate, transversal interest from a young age. His frequent visits to the Prado made him a devoted admirer of the masters, whose lessons he combined with a distinctively irreverent spirit.