Ron Mueck

Ron Mueck has earned international acclaim for his hyperrealistic sculptures of humans at scales ranging from smaller-than-life to enormous. At the 2001 Venice Biennale, viewers encountered an arresting, massive crouching child, Untitled (Boy) (1999). Another work, Dead Dad (1996-97), depicts a three-foot version of the artist’s father lying palms up on the floor. Whether oversized or miniature, Mueck’s uncannily lifelike sculptures—frozen in situations both mundane and strange—explore universal issues such as loneliness, vulnerability, and death. A former puppeteer and model maker for film and television, Mueck makes his highly detailed sculptures by hand using fiberglass, silicone, and resin. Hailed as one of the most important figurative sculptors of his generation, Mueck has exhibited his work in London, Sydney, New York, and Ottawa. He was the 14th artist in residence at the National Gallery in London, and his works are in the permanent collection at the Tate.