22 January – 18 April 2010
NGV International, Melbourne
Mask II (2001-2)
National Gallery of Victoria presents a major solo exhibition of the work of Melbourne-born and London-based hyper-realist sculptor Ron Mueck (Australian, b.1958) from 22 January to 18 April 2010 in NGV International, Melbourne. The exhibition features twelve lifelike sculptures, including the demonstration of all stages of life – from birth to death. Significantly, in this exhibition, four new works are first presented in Australia.
Mueck’s sculptures are regarded as a state of self-expression, self-consciousness and both physical and emotional disclosure. Additionally, the deliberate distortions in scale and presentation in terms of oversized or undersized figures hit audiences with a level of visual shock and emotional experience. In the early career of Mueck, he worked as a model maker and puppeteer for children’s television and films. After that, he established his own company in London working as an animatronics maker for the advertising industry in Europe. In 1997, Mueck’s work, Dead Dad (1996-1997), was first shown in the art scene – the controversial Sensation show, which featured works from the collection of Charles Saatchi, at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Significantly, this iconic work made Mueck’s reputation in the international contemporary art world. Furthermore, Dead Dad, which is relatively a smaller-than-life-size naked figure of his father, tends to explore the relationship not only between life and death but also between body and soul. Therefore, it seems like life and death co-existed in the sculpture. As viewers, this ultra-realistic work could not only increase viewers’ interests to explore the details of the figure but also create a state of peace of the space for viewers to appreciate. However, viewers might experience a strong visual and emotional shock by his hyper-realistic representation of the human figure in the last stage of life cycle.
Dead Dad (1996-7)
Mueck’s art is more about all stage of life – from birth to death, and the human condition in terms of feelings and emotions. The concept of his works can be discovered from the way of his presentation, such as a new born baby with part of umbilical cord and blood lying on one side of her body, A Girl (2006); a standing naked pregnant woman tightly holding hands above her head, Pregnant Woman (2006); an old and nearly die woman sleeping on the bed, Old Woman in Bed (2000); a naked man representing Mueck’s father lying on his back, Dead Dad (1996-1997). By using multi-materials such as fiberglass, polyester resin, silicone and polyurethane, his striking works of art which offer vivid facial expressions and perfect bodily details are surrounded by the theatrical elements of storytelling and therefore could increase audiences’ interests to interact in his art world. As a result of his impressive works of art, Mueck has successfully attracted the media, art curators, art collectors, and the general public’s attention and his solo exhibition has become a blockbuster show in the contemporary art arena.
A Girl (2006)
In terms of the installation of the exhibition, NGV provide a suitable exhibition space for the artist to display his large-scale works. Twelve works, including oversized and undersized sculptures, are displayed in the areas where each work would not be influenced or disturbed by the other. However, with a certain distance between each sculpture, one could be more likely to respond to the other. It seems like a dialogue between artworks might be generated in this space. Interestingly, when viewers move from the first sculpture, Dead Dad, to the second one, A Girl, they would experience a journey from death to life, from darkness to light, and from small to large. In addition, this exhibition space provides a great opportunity for audiences not only to appreciate works from different angles but also to invite viewers to walk closer or into the artworks. Importantly, audiences are encouraged to bring their own imagination and interpretations to these works.
Still Life (2009)
In this special exhibition, photography without flash is permitted for personal use. Audiences could interact with the artist’s works of art and record the moment of their experience in the exhibition. After visiting the exhibition, visitors might upload their photos and comments on blogs or Facebook to share their experience of the show. Therefore, this might create a word-of-mouth effect on the exhibition and attract more future audiences to attend the show. Importantly, some online materials might provide an educational resource for the public to gain information about the artist and the exhibition. However, from my personal experience, the act of photography might disturb the viewing of the artworks and this practice might raise the issue of copyright infringement. Some people might use these photos for commercial use without permission.
Overall, the majority of Ron Mueck’s sculptures presents the nudes and tends to reveal vulnerability of human beings. His works with aesthetic and symbolic elements challenge the boundary between art and realism. However, controversial concerns raised over Mueck’s works. Censorship issues from nudity to manipulation might have an influence on his future presentation of his works and shows. In the case of Taiwan, artworks related to nudity would be prohibited from certain age groups to visit. From my point of view, without censorship, NGV could provide an educational opportunity for both parents and children to broaden their knowledge from exhibition experience, to learn how to appreciate certain art form or to be inspired by the show.
Ron Mueck now is presented at NGV International on 180 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, from 22 January to 18 April 2010. On Friday, 16 April, NGV will celebrate the final weekend and provide a great opportunity for the public to enjoy NGV art after dark until 9 pm at Ron Mueck exhibition.
Ron Mueck is a National Gallery of Victoria touring exhibition, curated by David Hurlston, and will travel to Queensland Art Gallery from 8 May to 1 August 2010 and to Christchurch Art Gallery, New Zealand, from 2 October to 23 January 2011.
For further information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/ronmueck
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