Monday, December 04, 2006

Ron Mueck



If you like sculpture, if you appreciate fine art, or if you like pointing and laughing at giant flaccid penises, I highly recommend the new Ron Mueck exhibit at the Brooklyn museum. I've been there twice this week to stand in awe at the frighteningly realistic models.

Mueck's art is part of a movement called "hyper-realism." Each of his sculptures not only look like real people, but they each convey an emotion - fear, isolation, dispair - so convincingly, you see a bit of yourself in every piece. Um, maybe not this piece:



Mueck's expert attention to detail and patience in making these pieces is impeccable - every single hair, every single vein and toenail and goose bump in place. You almost don't want to get to close, worried the subject will grab at you or leap from his chair.

I studied the sculptures for so long that on the subway ride home, I was staring at every other passenger, marveling at how their eyebrows looked so real, but Mueck does a better job. Check it out in Brooklyn if you can, or if you live elsewhere, look for the exhibit to come to a museum near you. It's real cool. (I'll never make it as an art critic, will I?)



P.S.
He also designed a lot of the puppets for my favorite childhood movie, "Labyrinth," which earns him at least 20 cool points.

3 comments:

grensley said...

plus, all the female sculptures look like an "older" audrey. we wanted her to get naked and scare people at the brooklyn museum but she wouldn't. proof that sometimes, but only sometimes, audrey is NO FUN!!

Anonymous said...

this exhibit + the concept behind the new movie "night at the museum" = scary time!

bomarr said...

i'm jealous.

i wish he'd bring this to san francisco.