The Art Gallery of New South Wales has opened Ron Mueck: Encounter, the largest Australian exhibition of the expat sculptor's work, featuring 15 pieces spanning nearly three decades. Visitors are greeted by the monumental 2.5-metre-tall Pregnant Woman, a hyperrealistic figure that challenges traditional depictions of female form.
Mueck, a former puppet maker who worked on Jim Henson's Labyrinth, creates ultra-realistic human figures at exaggerated scales, from a doll-sized couple in bed to oversized seniors under a beach umbrella. The exhibition is curated to emphasise the encounter between viewer and sculpture, with works arranged in thematic clusters.
Despite Mueck's popularity with the public, critics have often dismissed his work as kitsch or sentimental, comparing it to Madame Tussauds waxworks. The artist never publicly defends or explains his pieces, leaving audiences to form their own interpretations.
The show includes a free offshoot in the old AGNSW building, featuring a diminutive old woman in bed. With only 15 works from Mueck's total output of 49, the exhibition remains concise and focused.
