Ron Mueck - Wild Man

Although I was overwhelmed when I saw “Wild Man” by Ron Mueck, this was not my first encounter with his artwork. I think in 2005 or 2006 I went to the National Gallery of Victoria to see his sculpture called “Pregnant Woman”. Mueck's early career was as a model maker and puppeteer for children's television and films, notably the film Labyrinth for which he also contributed the voice of Ludo, and the Jim Henson series The Storyteller. Ron Mueck’s hyper real sculptures of humans both clothed and naked are replicated in micro detail in every aspect of the body – pores, veins, hairs, blemishes, wrinkles – with a veracity that deceives the eye and challenges our perception of reality. To achieve this Mueck also plays with scale – his sculptures despite their apparent truthfulness to life are never life size they are either gargantuan or miniature.

I really liked this artwork, it shows a man with long hair, an equally long beard and a hairy body. Immense detail has gone into showing every detail on the human form, from showing the protruding veins in the figures tense and red hands, moles and pimples over his body, and the size difference in the pores over his skin as they get bigger on his face. I think this figure is intimated by those around him, he has a fearful expression on his face and his upper body is very uptight and he is kind of leading backwards and has tense hands and feet. This artwork suggests that regardless of the figures large scale he can be just as intimidated as a small child, as he is clutching the chair so hard I feel that it his safety in his exposed state. The layout of the exhibition was rather spacious, but the sculpture was placed in the back corner, as though her were trying to hide from the viewer.


I loved how Mueck could create a 9ft sculpture that has all intimidating features that people would expect in today’s society, yet with the scared expression on his face, you feel sorry for him.

Another artist that you should look up if you like this type of work is Patricia Piccinini. I saw her exhibition in Bendigo on 2006, well worth a look.