Ron Mueck sculptures......how do you react?

I definitely agree with those of you who find the Mueck sculptures to be vivid and affecting--and those qualities are worth a lot in an art work. However, when I imagine these pieces in various familiar contexts--gallery, museum, sculpture garden, home--trying to see them in the most favorable setting (for me), I feel nothing from the Muecks that would pull me back for another look. To me, the inspiration to visit and revisit, each time seeing something newly revealed, is the premier quality of first-rate art, no matter what the genre.

Of course, looking at art second-hand is an inferior way for me to judge its power, so I may well be missing physical and psychological textures that I would find intriguing in person.

For me, superior art works rather like the narrator in an engrossing book. There is a quiet voice saying, "You, yes you, please come here. I've got something to show you that will really open your eyes." Working from images alone of Mueck, I hear no such invitation. I will need to see his work in person and will try to do so. I am drawn to figurative art.

Thanks very much for the link to the video of Mueck's process.

Miklos, you make important points: One of the things that inhibits my appreciation of much contemporary work (especially installations) is their inability to remain interesting. A work of art must be like a wife (as opposed to a transient lover): you can (and need to) live with her.

I started a thread about Ron Muek but Francis very kindly directed me here.
Mumpad knows Ron's Mum through her work so we are off to Melb to have a look at the exhibition.

Enjoy!!!

There's a fabulous new acquisition at the SA Art Gallery that reminds me of Mueck....called "Big Mother".










Mor eon her work....

http://www.patriciapiccinini.net/


(click on thumb prints and urls)

Yes, enjoy, dadpad and take some pictures if you can!

Interesting dlowan. Thanks for sharing. Patricia is more playful than Mueck
and I like her vision of human & animal fusion.

Here's a thread I started on her a while ago, I find her really interesting:

http://able2know.org/topic/8962-1

Meant to check out this exhibition at the Nat. Gallery a few weeks ago, when a friend & I were there. It looked fascinating! (But unfortunately we were both rather broke at the time, so ..) Thanks for reminding me. I'll try and get there before the school holiday break is over.

Please do find the time Msolga.

I was surprisingly less emotionally affected that i thought i might be.
"Dead Dad" was, i thought, underwhelming in the emotion department.

All the sculptures were awe inspiring in their technical capacity and attention to detail, so much so that some of the details could only be seen from certain angles like the tiny teardrop in "Wild Mans" eye.
"Wild Mans" eyes seemed to follow me around the room and so lifelike I would not have been surprised if he had stood up and walked.
I liked the way the facial expressions seemed to change as i moved around each exhibit.

Two old ladies was my favorite.

Photography was permitted without flash however due to the light it was difficult to get good shots. some are a touch out of focus

A Girl: Giant sculpture of a newborn girl child, complete with umbilical cord and blood.

Wild Man. The detailing was superb. His expression was kinda frightend and vulnerable yet at the same time i felt wary of the possibilty this 10 foot tall thing could leap up and scare the crap out of me.

Woman with Sticks (sorry about the quality)

This is a realism that is truly artistic, much more than nere re-presentation of observations. Such power.