Ron Mueck Art Analysis

Ron Mueck. 'Wildman '.

A pale, tall figure looms over all who are in its presence, overwhelming and shockingly real. The Giant, 'Wildman ', a huge modal of a man, is nude, this nakedness, displayed for all to see. This ultimate exposure is a symbol to modern culture as one of ultimate indecency and of vulnerability. He sits on a simple, sturdy wooden stool. His pose is rigid, his knuckles are tightened and white as he grips his seat, his eyes are wide with fear, accusing the society that has placed him on this pedestal. Upon his head, a thick mane of curly hair sits, entwining with his bush-like un-kept beard with greying strands throughout, reaching past his shoulders and ending midway down his chest. The majority of his body is thinly covered with dark hair, receding as it ascends up the leg and up his harms, forming a thin trail down the middle of his torso . As one looks closer, at his tortured expression, his protruding bones and his rigid pose, the feeling of initial fright fades into sympathy. He truly appears to be more scared of us than we are of him. Mueck, the artist has created this juxtaposition that matches the movement 'Hyperrealism ', in which he is an influential contributor. This contradiction being the Wildman 's obviously giant proportions being totally unrealistic , and the fact that he has been made to look, and truly does look real. The viewer is tricked into this juxtaposition, the meaning of Hyperrealism, for this giant appears to be terribly and shockingly real, but in fact is not.

What truly overwhelms the viewer, when first sighting the sculpture is the sheer certainty that this Giant is real, and he most definitely appears to be so. Ron Mueck has created a perfect representation of life. Every hair, wrinkle and skin discolouration is placed with upmost care and control. This initial fear is enunciated by humanities fear of the unknown, and the way this hyperrealism makes one second guess what they are