Panem et circenses

Info

An artist’s book originated by Muntadas’ installation “Stadium,” ‘Panem et Circenses’ brings a dialectic overview on contemporary and cultural phenomena related to mass events. Ref.1

Feed them bread and circuses. From amphitheatre to football stadiums, Muntadas shows the history of spectacle in a series of media photo clips that illuminate both the splendor and dark underbelly of mass entertainment. Ref.3

Antoni Muntades (1942. Born in Barcelona, lives in New York) subjects images from the mass media to critical sociological research. He does so by studying various information channels from our contemporary culture, such as television, newspapers, magazines, advertising and the Internet. Public institutions, the art world and the art status as well are highlighted and questioned. Muntadas shows how we are manipulated by these structures and and how mass media are handling language and images in order to influence our personal privacy. With his work, he also touches on the dynamics and the impact of information flows and viewing habits.
As his career progresses, Muntadas' interest shifts to wider social and cultural issues. He continues to criticise all kinds of power institutes, but expands his research to various fields, such as architecture, design and media. For this purpose, he develops interactive multimedia that are often site-specific, but which transform as well, returning in a new presentation, a different form. Therefore, for the artist, the connection between his works is very important. Ref.4

Imschoot Uitgevers In 1987 publishing house Imschoot (Ghent- Belgium) started an exceptional series of artists’ books made by international artists (Giovanni Anselmo, Sol LeWitt, John Baldessari, Lawrence Weiner, Hanne Darboven, Robert Barry, Christian Boltanski, Dan Graham, a.o.). Ref.5
In addition to the regular softcover edition (500 to 1000 copies), a deluxe hardcover edition was also issued in a very limited edition, numbered and signed by the artists.
The publishing house ceased its activities in 2006.

References

• Ref.1: Imschoot, uitgevers Catalogue 1993-1994, Artists’ books
• Ref.2: IB-series - Edited by Bartomeu Mari, the IB-series presents project books related to architecture within contemporary art, its interaction with media and contemporary culture.
• Ref.3: Imschoot, uitgevers [2002] Catalogue
• Ref.4: M HKA ensembles.org
• • Ref.5: Johan Pas (Een essay door -), Het kunstenaarsboek in België: de voorzet tot een geschiedenis., Kunstenpunt