By Katie Hudson-Martinez/feature editor
63 3⁄4 x 255 7/8 x 155 1⁄2 inches
Ed. 1/1
Anthony d ’Offay, London
The Ron Mueck exhibit at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth can leave visitors amazed and unsettled.
Mueck has become famous around the world for creating sculptures shockingly realistic and entirely surreal.
The artist, who got his start in special effects for movies and television, accurately creates lifelike sculptures of human beings.
The theme of the exhibit seems to be the human condition and the cycle of life.
From newborn infants to the frailty of an elderly woman, each sculpture is anatomically correct in every way except one—the size.
Some pieces are more than 20 feet long while others are as small as 10 inches; despite the size, visitors fully expect them to get up and move around at any moment. Many visitors could swear they saw movement out of the corner of their eyes.
Mueck’s impeccable attention to detail makes each of the 13 pieces in this exhibit exceptional.
Dead Dad, a tribute to Mueck’s deceased father and his first sculpture as an independent artist, lies on the floor completely nude. Every crease of skin and hair, every vein and mole has been tediously detailed.
The incredible realism of the piece makes it difficult to look at, but even more difficult to look away.
Two babies are part of the exhibit. One, a newborn titled A Girl, is a 16- foot-long infant with the umbilical cord still attached. On the other end of the scale is Baby, a 10-inch-long baby boy mounted on the wall similar to a crucifix.
33 1⁄2 x 18 7/8 x 15 inches
Glenn Fuhrman Collection, New York
At the end of the exhibit, visitors will see Old Woman in Bed, a frail elderly woman sleeping on what appears to be a hospital-issue blanket and sheets.
Visible in her face is a fragility, and it becomes clear that there is a correlation between this woman and the infant. They are at different stages in the cycle of life, where frailty and dependency have come full circle.
The Mueck exhibit is a must-see event. Pictures cannot convey the magnitude of the experience.
With his special talent, Mueck can take a pile of fiberglass and silicone and turn it into an exact replica of a human being. The result can move and inspire viewers, even if it does creep them out a little.
Location
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
3200 Darnell Street
www.themodern.org
Museum Gallery Hours
Tuesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
General Admission Prices (includes special exhibition)
$4 for students with ID and seniors (60+)
$10 for adults (13+)
Free for children 12 and under
Free for Modern members
Free every Wednesday and the first Sunday of every month
