Latest news with #MaskII
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Why record numbers flocked to MMCA Seoul for Ron Mueck
Korean audiences moved by exhibition's hyperrealist sculptures When a 29-year-old Seoulite, surnamed Jung, arrived at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul at 2 p.m. for a last chance to see the exhibition on Ron Mueck on Sunday, she was surprised to see the crowd waiting to enter the gallery. 'It was quite impressive to see the hyperrealistic details of each figure, such as the wrinkles on their faces. The documentary about the artist's process of creating handcrafted works was even more striking, especially in this age when digital technology makes hyperrealism easier,' she said. 'Ron Mueck' drew more than 530,000 visitors during its three-month run, marking a decade-high attendance of 5,671 people per day. The exhibition ran from April 11 to Sunday, showing Mueck's iconic hyperrealist sculptures such as 'Man in a Boat,' 'In Bed' and 'Mask II,' among others. The popularity of Mueck's works in South Korea is attributed to two elements: hyperrealism and the medium of sculpture. Rarely seen in contemporary art exhibitions here, the combination offers a fresh experience to audiences. These qualities were further amplified by social media: A popular Instagrammable installation of 'Mass,' which comprises 100 giant human skulls, went viral. Created in 2018, the title of the installation can refer either to a heap of something, a crowd of people or a religious ceremony. 'I first came across the exhibition on Instagram, and I found it compelling. I did not know much about the artist before I went to the show last month,' said Kim Sung-hyun, 27, from Seoul. 'I go to exhibitions from time to time, and sculpture exhibitions are sort of rare in Seoul, so I enjoyed it a lot, although it was extremely crowded. It made it hard to focus on the show.' Another Seoul resident surnamed Yoon saw the exhibition twice, in both April and May. 'I find contemporary art a bit difficult, but I found myself more connected to Ron Mueck's works than other conceptual art, as it is expressed realistically,' she said. The exhibition was the artist's first major show in the country. Mueck is known to have created sculptural works by sticking to the time-intensive, traditional sculptural process of clay molding and casting in silicon, according to the museum. 'Ron Mueck's works immediately evoke emotional responses and empathy from viewers, as they depict familiar forms and universal aspects of the human experience. Audiences seem to be drawn to their overwhelming scale and astonishing realism," said Hong Iji, a curator at MMCA Seoul. "Interestingly, the absence of wall text in the exhibition space is thought to have allowed for full immersion for the audiences," she added. Park Young-sin, a Korean-language instructor in her late 30s, said she was curious how hyperrealism could be interpreted in visual art, in comparison to hyperrealism and realism in literature. 'I also really appreciated one particular piece that seemed to depict a couple on a date. I felt the emotional tension and pressure the woman was experiencing. The narrative I found in the sculpture was subtle, yet powerful,' she said.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Ron Mueck's hyperrealistic works draw record numbers to MMCA
Exhibition appeals to Korean audiences with heart-touching hyperrealist sculptures When a 29-year-old Seoulite, surnamed Jung, arrived at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul at 2 p.m. for a last chance to see the exhibition on Ron Mueck on Sunday, she was surprised to see the crowd waiting to enter the gallery. 'It was quite impressive to see the hyperrealistic details of each figure such as the wrinkles on their face. The documentary about the artist's process to create handcrafted works at the museum was even more striking ― especially in this age when digital technologies make hyperrealism easier,' she said. 'Ron Mueck' drew more than 530,000 visitors during its three-month run, marking a decade-high number of daily visitors at 5,671 people per day. The exhibition ran from April 11 to Sunday, showing Mueck's conic hyperrealist sculptures such as 'Man in a Boat,' 'In Bed' and 'Mask II,' among others. The popularity of Mueck's works in South Korea is partly attributed to the combination of two elements: hyperrealist quality and the medium of sculpture, which have rarely been seen in exhibitions here, offering a fresh experience to audiences. Such qualities of the exhibition were further amplified by social media. A popular 'Instagrammable' installation of 'Mass,' which comprises 100 giant human skulls, went viral. Created in 2018, the title of the installation can refer either to a heap of something, a crowd of people or a religious ceremony. 'I first came across the exhibition on Instagram and I found it compelling. I did not know much about the artist before I went to the show last month,' said Kim Sung-hyun, 27, from Seoul. 'I go to exhibitions from time to time, and sculpture exhibitions are sort of rare in Seoul, so I enjoyed it a lot ― although it was extremely crowded. It made it hard to focus on the show.' Another Seoul resident surnamed Yoon saw the exhibition twice, in both April and May. 'I find contemporary art a bit difficult, but I found myself more connected to Ron Muech's works than other conceptual art, as it is expressed realistically,' she said. The exhibition was the artist's first major show in the country. Mueck is known to have created sculptural works by sticking to the time-intensive, traditional sculptural process of clay molding and casting in silicon, according to the museum. 'Ron Mueck's works immediately evoke emotional responses and empathy from viewers, as they depict familiar forms and universal aspects of the human experience. Interestingly, the absence of wall text in the exhibition space allowed for full immersion,' said Hong Iji, a curator at MMCA Seoul. Park Young-sin, a Korean-language instructor in her late 30s, said she was curious how hyperrealism could be interpreted in visual art, in comparison to hyperrealism and realism in literature. 'I also really appreciated one particular piece that seemed to depict a couple on a date. I felt the emotional tension and pressure the woman was experiencing. The narrative I found in the sculpture was subtle, yet powerful,' she said.
Korea Herald
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Ron Mueck's hyperrealist sculptures evoke fear, compassion
Australian artist's first major solo exhibition in Korea at MMCA showcases three decades of captivating sculpture Australian artist Ron Mueck's handmade sculptures of humans are stunningly realistic. One features a mother carrying her baby in a sling almost completely hidden by her large overcoat as she carries bags of groceries -- a scene you might encounter on any street. The artist titled the sculpture 'Woman with Shopping.' Mueck's first major exhibition in South Korea opened Friday at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, where 24 of the artist's selected sculptures and documentary films are on display. At the entrance to the exhibition lies the artist's self-portrait sculpture 'Mask II' -- an oversized face lying sideways with the eyes closed and the mouth slightly open as though the figure is asleep. Not until the figure is seen from behind does it become clear that the face is a mask -- its head hollow and empty. The discovery leaves viewers baffled, forcing them to think about the presence that they had been so sure of when seen from the front. '(His art) is not to explain something, to preach something, or to speak to the audiences from a position of greater knowledge or authority. I think the work is an attempt to just allow a space for the viewers to contemplate for themselves,' said Charlie Clarke, an associate curator of the exhibition and director of the artist's studio, at the press tour on April 10. 'They don't look happy or sad or in any particular state, and I think that is because Ron is not trying to depict something very specific,' he added. Mueck's sculptures can be minute or monumental. He is known to have created only 48 works in his three-decade artistic career, sticking to the time-intensive, traditional sculptural process of clay molding and casting in silicone. His works are known to explore themes of humanity, death, vulnerability and birth, and evoke a variety of emotions through the delicate facial expressions and gestures of his subjects, which amount to psychological portraits. 'Although I spend a lot of time on the surface, it is the life inside I want to capture,' the artist once said of his work. The monumental installation 'Mass' comprises one hundred giant human skulls. The title itself can refer either to a heap or pile of something, a crowd of people or a religious ceremony. The installation, created in 2018, is the artist's pivotal work, showing his desire to embrace new ways of art in his style, according to the museum. 'Even if somehow it has a link with what we did before, it is a unique exhibition in the sense that you are going to see that 'Mass' installation ... has a very direct and very strong relationship with the venue it hosts,' said Chiara Agradi, associate curator of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art. The foundation has maintained a long relationship with the artist, supporting his solo exhibitions since 2005.
