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The Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) awarded an honorary doctorate to the internationally renowned transdisciplinary artist Antoni Muntadas (Barcelona, 1942). (Video)

A resident of New York since 1971, Muntadas, whose work lies at the intersection of art, technology, communication and cultural criticism, was a pioneer in the use of media such as photography, video and the internet to anticipate debates that are now central to academic and artistic circles.

'Being awarded an honorary doctorate is not only a gesture of recognition; it is also an opportunity to reflect collectively on what brings us together: knowledge, experience, perspective and critical practice,' said Muntadas, widely considered the father of the concept of critical subjectivity.

"I found the term objectivity problematic, so I was interested in reframing it through notions such as Xavier Rubert de Ventós's relevant subjectivity and Vilem Flusser's intersubjectivity. From my perspective, the concept of critical subjectivity refers to the critical dimension that can arise from individual and personal practice. The personal gaze acts as an observation and signalling of facts, situations or phenomena that affect and concern us, and with which we disagree, 'he explained during his inauguration speech.

' Art does not explain, it proposes. It does not give answers; it poses questions. Its role is not to illustrate the world, but to reveal its complexities. '

Muntadas, whose nomination was approved by the Governing Council of the UPV on 28 July at the proposal of the Faculty of Fine Arts - and with the support of the departments of Painting, Sculpture, Drawing, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and Audiovisual Communication, Documentation and Art History at the UPV, together with the Associació Dones en les Arts Visuals and the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM)—advocates an eminently proactive concept of art, one that has guided him throughout his extensive career.

'I have never understood art as an object, but as a form of knowledge; knowledge that is complemented by other fields of learning, which it questions and expands in its own way, because art offers a different space for thought. Art does not explain, it proposes. It does not give answers; it poses questions. Its role is not to illustrate the world, but to reveal its complexities,' she explains.

"What we see always depends on what we are allowed to see. Looking closely is a critical exercise and also an act of resistance against the speed, superficiality, or indifference that often prevail. Art can be a school of attention. It teaches us to look, to pause, to doubt and to look again; to understand that every image, word or space carries ideology, power and history; and that looking attentively and consciously is the first step towards understanding and transforming our relationship with the world," he added.

Grateful to the UPV and many of its members

Especially grateful to the UPV, Muntadas wished to personalise his gratitude towards "Maribel Doménech, Salomé Cuesta, María José Martínez de Pisón, Emilio Martínez Arroyo, Pepa López Poquet and Trini Gracia, who have created essential moments that give meaning to this relationship. With the UPV, and more specifically with the Faculty of Fine Arts, I have always had not only a professional but also a personal connection.

For the Catalan artist, for whom 'the university is, or should be, a space for thinking without urgency, experimenting without fear of error, where diversity of perspectives provides richness and where knowledge is shared collaboratively', this recognition, which he receives 'not only as a personal honour', is for him an 'encouragement to continue working, researching and sharing, because art and knowledge are always in process'.

José E. Capilla: 'Creation is not only production: it is perception, involvement and interpretation, as Dr Muntadas' work reminds us'

In his address, José E. Capilla, rector of the UPV, praised Muntadas, stating that 'the humanities play a fundamental role in individual development' and that 'we must break down the barriers between disciplines, reclaiming art as a form of critical research and approaching creativity as a transformative agent between the social, cultural and technological spheres'.

Capilla recalled that "for the Greeks, art and technique were the same word: téchne. Creating, building, and researching were part of the same human impulse to understand the world. That tradition remains alive today at our university, and the Faculty of Fine Arts is one of our greatest exponents in that regard, 'and, quoting the humanist Nuccio Ordine, he pointed out that 'technology should help us to think, not replace our capacity for judgement', concluding that 'creation is not just production: it is perception, involvement and interpretation, as Dr Muntadas' work reminds us. '

The exhibition' Muntadas. A Selection: Information and Documentation," open to the public until 20 January at ETSA

In the afternoon, following the ceremony, Muntadas and Manuel Borja-Villel, an art historian and former director of the Reina Sofía Museum, discussed Muntadas' artistic career, his critical thinking, and his influence on contemporary art during an event held in the Aula Magna of the School of Architecture (ETSA).

This was followed by the opening of the exhibition 'Muntadas. A Selection: Information and Documentation' in the ETSA Exhibition Hall, which brings together a series of conceptual stations related to the work of the Barcelona-born artist – posters, catalogues, projections, etc. – spanning more than five decades.

The exhibition, which is free to visit and will run until 20 January 2026, is dedicated to Antoni Mercader in recognition of his long-standing collaboration with Muntadas, which spans from 1963 to the present day.

News UPV TV