Mask II (2002) Ron Mueck
A Girl (2006) Ron Mueck
1. Mueck's sculpture is described as 'hyper-real'. Define the meaning of this term and apply it to his work.
Hyperrealism is the term to describe sculpture as well as photography that is quite similar to that of a high resolution photograph. The reason it compares to a high resolution photograph is because the detail is incredibly fine and complete. Ron Mueck uses hyper realism in a way to shock and impress in a rather disgusting way. In 'A Girl' Mueck depicts a newborn child that appears dead and mutated. We see every detail of this gruesome sculpture because of how Mueck has used hyper realism.
2. Mueck is not interested in making life size sculpture. Find out why he is more interested
in working with the scale of the figure which is not life size, and mention 2 works which use
scale that is either larger or smaller than life.
As explained in the question above. Mueck uses hyper realism in sculpture in way to sicken his viewers. When Mueck makes sculpture so large as he does it is just another way inwhich he can disgust his audience. His work has been refered to work without flaw, but this does not mean in anyway is it flawless. Two works in which he uses large or smaller scale include;
Pregnant Woman (2002) Ron Mueck
Two Women (2005) Ron Mueck
3. Define Renaissance Humanism , and analyze the term in order to apply it to an example of Mueck's work. Note that the contemporary definition of Humanism is much broader than the Renaissance definition.
Humanism, which became first popular in the renaissance period, depicts to us how the world was viewed for the 'humanists' at the time. Humanism is the idea that instead of art work such as sculpture and painting be for the church it was more about the people. This was, of course, going against what the church wanted because they thought that all work should be non secular.
We can relate Humanism to Mueck's work because he does not make any references to the Church as focuses solely on the people in his work themselves. Obviously, the art work that is referred to in this day and age as humanistic can be quite more dramatic then what those living in the renaissance were referring to as humanism.
Spooning Couple (2005) Ron Mueck
As we can see in the work pictured above, this piece of work has nothing to do with the church. Nor does it have anything to do with the movements in which Humanism was going against such as Scholasticisim and other such things that were trying to repress the freedom of speech in people. 'Spooning Couple' (2005) not only is it full of laviciousness but is expressing that certain quality of Humanism to a full extent.
4. Research and discuss one of Mueck's sculptures that you might find challenging or exciting to experience in an art gallery. Describe the work, upload an image of the work, and explain your personal response to the work
Mother and Child (2001) Ron Mueck
The above picture is a sculpture done by Ron Mueck in 2001 and depicts a woman with her newly born baby resting on her stomache. The reason I personally find this challenging to see, more so would I in a gallery, is because quite clearly the baby had been born from this woman moments before, as the placenta and umbilical cord are all still intact and connected. This is using something that is perfectly nautral to the course of life and by placing it somewhere like a gallery making it grotesque and pornographic. However whilst saying this seeing this scultpture would be like seeing a car crash or something. Hard to see but impossible to look away from.
Reasons to Visit Ron Mueck Exhibition (2005)
http://www.suite101.com/content/four-reasons-to-visit-a-ron-mueck-exhibition-a333516
Hyper Realism Sculptures by Ron Mueck (2007)
http://www.creativityfuse.com/2010/11/hyperrealist-sculptures-by-ron-mueck/
Ron Mueck Biography (2005)
http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/bio_e.jsp?iartistid=25104
Humanism (2004)
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/humanism.html
I hardly comment about “Mother and Child” because I partly agree that it is so realistic but I think it is posed very artificially neither than other natural poses. This leads to put the break on my inspiration to his work. I was disappointed because of this artificial pose in this art work. The pose was not right because of the mother’s arms and the neck looking at the baby. Even for me it was hard to look at this, just like you although I found other angles. I really like reading your focus because I have a different view. Any way, his sculpture is the most inspiring work I have ever seen.
ReplyDeletei agree that some of the detail in A Girl seems a bit disgusting. I do not find it a particularly beautiful or appealing piece of art. i agree to some extent that his work is qrotesque though i do like his mask II. i think his sculptures are different to every person and their own backgrounds and culture influence whether they see them as interesting or unappealing.
ReplyDeleteI understood what you meant when you described Mueck’s sculpture ‘A Girl’ as being “gruesome” in question 1. I felt the same way about this sculpture and also the sculpture ‘Mother and Child’. I personally found them quite gruesome because they’re so uncensored and raw.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think Mueck uses his sculptures to simply “sicken” his viewers like you said in question 2. I think instead he uses his sculptures to connect powerfully with the emotions of the viewers in as many ways possible. Even though all Mueck’s sculptures are hyper-real, humanistic and have altered scales they are very different. An example that is quite different to the uncensored sculpture ‘Mother and Child’ is the sculpture ‘Two Women’. The women are fully clothed and I don’t in anyway find this sculpture to be sickening.
First I'd like to mention I personally enjoyed reading this post because of all the images you have collected and used. Their inclusion in this post kept me very interested to read more and more in to what you had to discuss about Ron Mueck's work.
ReplyDeleteAside from that, I believe you have successfully defined the term 'hyper-real' and used it well in your discussion of Mueck's work. However, I'm not convinced that the sculpture in Mueck's 'A Girl' (2006) appears to be as you mentioned, of a "dead and mutated" newborn child. I have more reason to believe it is a depiction of a living newborn child moments after it's birth. But where the sculpture is effective, is with the idea that this newborn creates a sense of vulnerability and neglect because it is not presented covered up and in its mother's arms as most newborn children would be straight after their birth.
I understand how you said "Mueck uses hyper realism in sculpture in way to sicken his viewers. When Mueck makes sculpture so large as he does it is just another way inwhich he can disgust his audience." Even just reading about his sculptures or seeing the images creeps me out. But I don't think he is trying to make his viewers sick but trying to show us the shapes and figures of human beings in details, human beings that are kind of unique, such as ,Pregnant Woman (2002) and A Girl (2006). The work is so realistic but his talent is truly amazing.
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ReplyDeleteI disagree with your statement that Mueck creates such pieces to offend and sicken his viewers. Art is made to evoke emotion and reaction from the audience. With Mueck's hyper realistic sculptures, he creates them to make relate with the viewers through what they see visually, and what they feel inside after seeing such art.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the point how you said Mueck uses hyper realism in sculpture in way to sicken his viewers. He is a humanist artist of which means he makes those sclptures to show people, how we are superiority or to convey the facts of human body of reality. I consider he used hyper realism to show more how we are made of , and the real surface of us .
ReplyDeleteI like how you described the umbilical cord, it really does seem to tickle my gag reflex. Whether people seem it or not, these works are disturbing, almost frightening. well it is a natural thing, to give birth, it is still sacred. Special. I mean no offense to the artist but somethings should be left to first hand experiences, like when one has a child of there own, when one is actually standing in the labour room at the hospital.
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