Larger than life Ron Mueck exhibition
13 Sep 2010
Ron Mueck exhibition, Christchurch
2 October 2010 - 23 January 2011
A major touring exhibition by Australian sculptor Ron Mueck will open at Christchurch Art Gallery next month, marking the first time the London-based artist has shown in New Zealand.
Thirteen works from Mueck, who specialises in ‘hyper-realistic’ sculpture, will feature at the gallery, including four new sculptures created especially for the touring exhibition.
Mueck’s life-like sculptures are faithful reproductions of the human body, except that they are not built to scale, and can be larger or smaller than real life. His work has appeared in the Venice Biennale, and has been purchased by galleries and private collectors all over the world.
Among the 13 sculptures on display will be Mueck’s famous ‘Pregnant Woman’, a 2.5m sculpture of a naked child-bearing woman - exclusive to the Christchurch Art Gallery exhibition.
The exhibition is currently showing at the National Gallery of Victoria, in Melbourne.
Compelling viewing
Christchurch Art Gallery director Jenny Harper says the Ron Mueck exhibition makes for compelling viewing.
"These sculptures look incredible in photographs, but when you see them ‘in the flesh’, it’s another thing altogether. From pores on the skin to the reality of their finger nails, no detail has been ignored.
"And the shifts in scale, with some figures very large and others very small, intensify the effect into something quite fantastic."
Harper is expecting record crowds for the exhibition, which she says is a wonderful opportunity for art lovers to see some ground-breaking work.
"Mueck portrays people from all works of life so honestly and I think that’s why so many people can relate to his work.
He challenges us to see the world from someone else’s point of view and his images have an unusually strong after-life. Once you’ve seen the works in this exhibition, you will never forget them. It’s extraordinary."
Artist with vision
Ron Mueck is hailed as an artist with vision because of his unique way of seeing the world.
The Australian artist began his career in children’s television - and has a background in creating props and animatronics for advertising. He started sculpting in 1996, and was appointed associate artist at the National Gallery in London in 1999.
The ‘Pregnant Woman’ sculpture, which will be on show in Christchurch, was bought by the National Gallery of Australia in 2002. Mueck has exhibited his works all over the world - including Japan, the US, Edinburgh, Canada, Paris and across Australia.
Background: Christchurch Art Gallery
Christchurch Art Gallery / Te Puna o Waiwhetu is located in the city centre. The gallery holds over 6000 works of art acquired since its foundation in 1932 - much of it collected from the pioneering past of the Canterbury region and from modern South Island artists.
The public gallery was formerly named the Robert McDougall Art Gallery. It was closed in 2002 and reopened the following year under its new name.
Te Puna means ‘clear spring’, and Waiwhetu means ‘water which reflects the stars’.
Christchurch Art Gallery is funded by the local council and has a programme of both Kiwi and international exhibitions on a regular basis.
More information
NZ museums and art galleries
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