When I visited Seoul a while back, a friend told me about Ron Mueck’s exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art during the time I was visiting. I’ve never heard of him until then, but a quick search tells me I shouldn’t miss it. For those who’re not familiar with him, Ron Mueck is an Australian hyperrealist sculptor known for his incredibly lifelike and emotionally evocative sculptures of the human figure.
What makes Mueck’s sculptures stand out is their astonishing realism combined with dramatic shifts in scale—his figures are either much larger or much smaller than life-size. He meticulously crafts every detail, from wrinkles and pores to subtle body language, creating a deeply intimate experience for the viewer. His works often explore universal human themes such as birth, aging, vulnerability, and mortality, inviting reflection and emotional engagement.
I was glad I went, despite the non-stop rain that day. Each and every piece shown at the exhibition were captivating in their own ways. Mueck created these figures that managed to reach out to the viewer and evoked emotions that are often times unsettling, gently prodding us to think about the deeper philosophical questions of life, death, and everything in between. I left the museum feeling both heavy-hearted and enriched. Here are some pictures from the exhibition to share. Captions are my own commentary.
Is that all there is?
The world is a harsh place to be sometimes. But you have me.
I’ll show you how to find optimism, in spite of all that surrounding us.
How does it make you feel? What do you do about that, if anything?
Hard questions to ask, but better now than 10 years from now when it’s too late.
Will I be your dinner tonight? Is there room for co-existence?
Is this still about us–chicken vs man?
When the mask is laid down, what lies underneath?
I hope you’ll take away something from these 2D pictures. It’s not as real as the 3D sculptures at the museum, but if it makes you stop and think a little about the society we live in, the current events, our actions/reactions (or the lack thereof), if it makes you reflect or dig deeper about yourself, that’s something, isn’t it? That would be enough.