From Puppets to Hyperrealism
Ron Mueck began his career in the world of puppetry and special effects, working on films like Labyrinth (1986). His experience in model-making led him to create sculptures with extreme detail.
Larger or Smaller Than Life
Mueck’s sculptures depict human figures with striking realism but are never life-sized. His works range from towering giants to tiny, intimate miniatures, emphasizing detail in skin, hair, and facial expressions.
A Turning Point at the Royal Academy
In 1997, Mueck gained international attention when Dead Dad, a sculpture of his father’s corpse at half its real size, was exhibited in Sensation, a show organized by Charles Saatchi. The work was crafted using silicone and real human hair.
A New Standard in Realism
Mueck’s works, such as Boy (2000), a five-meter-tall sculpture, and A Girl (2006), showing a newborn baby at enormous scale, have been displayed worldwide. Each piece requires months of meticulous work, from sculpting in clay to casting in fiberglass and painting by hand.
Ron Mueck’s sculptures look startlingly real, but they are never life-sized. Some are towering, others are tiny yet detailed. From a five-meter-tall boy to a newborn at unnatural scale, his works fascinate audiences, blurring the line between reality and art. 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/f573htnYl5
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) February 7, 2025