Green Monkey, after George Stubbs (Pictures of Magazines 2) 2011

Vik Muniz created "Green Monkey, after George Stubbs" using magazine clippings to recreate a historical painting. Muniz, a contemporary Brazilian artist, is known for his use of unconventional materials. Here, Muniz engages with art history by referencing George Stubbs, an 18th-century British painter known for his images of animals. The use of magazine clippings—fragments of contemporary life and culture—to recreate Stubbs's work introduces a dialogue between past and present. What we see in this work is not just an image of a monkey but a complex layering of histories and meanings. The emotional impact arises from our awareness of the ephemeral nature of magazines juxtaposed with the enduring legacy of classical painting. Muniz prompts us to consider how images are constructed, circulated, and ultimately, how they shape our understanding of both art and the world around us.