In our series of contemporary exhibitions at the Theseus Temple, this year we are presenting Man in a Boat, a work by the acclaimed Australian sculptor Ron Mueck that was created during a residency at the National Gallery, London, in 2000–2. In the late 1990s, Mueck caused a sensation with his detailed sculpture of a prostrate naked man, a depiction of his own dead father (Dead Dad). The verisimilitude of this work has become something of a trademark of Mueck’s oeuvre and references the artist’s first occupation: before he transitioned to fine art, Mueck made models and special effects for films and advertisements.
Mueck creates his sculptures in a traditional manner. Using photographs, press cuttings or life models, he begins with three-dimensional preparatory studies that eventually lead to a plaster cast. For the actual artwork he uses polyester and acrylic resins as well as fibreglass compounds; with the addition of hair and paint, these materials allow him to create highly veristic surfaces. At the same time Mueck imbues his figures with a powerful psychological expression. But his manipulation of scale turns them into unreal intermediate beings. As though taken from a surreal story, they seem to address the viewer directly, drawing us into their space, and confront us with Mueck’s primary subject: the human body and the subsequent contingency of man’s existence.
This exhibition is Ron Mueck’s first solo exhibition in Austria. It is curated by Jasper Sharp, and generously supported by the Contemporary Patrons of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the British Council, Anthony d’Offay, and Hauser & Wirth.
Ron MueckKunsthistorisches Museum Wien Main address:
Kunsthistorisches Museum WienWells Fargo CenterMaria Theresien-Platz1010Vienna, AustriaKunsthistorisches Museum WienWells Fargo CenterMaria Theresien-Platz1010Vienna, AustriaIn our series of contemporary exhibitions at the Theseus Temple, this year we are presenting Man in a Boat, a work by the acclaimed Australian sculptor Ron Mueck that was created during a residency at the National Gallery, London, in 2000–2. In the late 1990s, Mueck caused a sensation with his detailed sculpture of a prostrate naked man, a depiction of his own dead father (Dead Dad). The verisimilitude of this work has become something of a trademark of Mueck’s oeuvre and references the artist’s first occupation: before he transitioned to fine art, Mueck made models and special effects for films and advertisements.
Mueck creates his sculptures in a traditional manner. Using photographs, press cuttings or life models, he begins with three-dimensional preparatory studies that eventually lead to a plaster cast. For the actual artwork he uses polyester and acrylic resins as well as fibreglass compounds; with the addition of hair and paint, these materials allow him to create highly veristic surfaces. At the same time Mueck imbues his figures with a powerful psychological expression. But his manipulation of scale turns them into unreal intermediate beings. As though taken from a surreal story, they seem to address the viewer directly, drawing us into their space, and confront us with Mueck’s primary subject: the human body and the subsequent contingency of man’s existence.
This exhibition is Ron Mueck’s first solo exhibition in Austria. It is curated by Jasper Sharp, and generously supported by the Contemporary Patrons of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the British Council, Anthony d’Offay, and Hauser & Wirth. Book tickets
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