ron mueck

I took the family to the Brooklyn Museum today to catch the Ron Mueck exhibit. I have to say it was one of the most impressive art shows I've ever seen. Ron Mueck uses either silicone or fiberglass to create ultra realistic sculptures. When I use the word ultra I really do mean ultra. The level of craftsmanship is almost impossible to believe.

He employs dyes on a multiple sheets of plastic to imbue the skin with a depth you don't normally see on anything trying to imitate skin. Individual body hairs cover the entire body and deep blue and red veins run under the skin making it hard to tell you are not looking at a real person. Take a look at the man below. That five-o'clock shadow is made up of individual hairs. Crazy. In fact when staring at the main piece, Wild Man, you find yourself wondering if he's going to twitch or blink. It really is that realistic.

The only giveaway that they aren't real is that he changes the scales of his subjects. The newly born baby on the first floor of the exhibit is about 20 feet long. Swollen, covered in blood and other residue, the baby serves as birth control for those who have never had kids. It's a frightening piece. Others are much smaller. In fact all his pieces are disturbing on some level. Whether it's a disembodied head or a replica of his dead dad or an extremely anemic looking lady lying in bed, his work is more than just a realistic sculpting of the human body. Worth a look if it rolls into your town.