Not all of Mueck's work is larger than life, some also play with the power of smaller scale!
Monday, December 9, 2013
The Power of Scale
Many artists work rely upon the power of scale. One such example is Mark Rothko, his work is simple fields of color, but the sheer size can overwhelm the viewer with emotion. Other artists include more the contemporary such a Jeff Koons with his famous balloon animals. While scale is powerful, scale combined with detail can be breathtaking. One artist where this convergence occurs is the contemporary sculptor Ron Mueck. His work plays with scale and hyper-realistic human figures. His work can often be discomforting but it cannot be denied that it demonstrates incredible skill and scope.
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I've actually seen one of his pieces in person when I was much younger at an art museum in D.C. At the time it really was discomforting to see something so life-like in a larger scale (especially when it's an angry-looking bald, naked man sitting in the corner of the room; see Big Man by Ron Mueck). I agree with Ian that the scale of a piece has a big impact on how we ourselves perceive it. What may not have been considered technically well-done on a smaller scale can gain new life if it is blown up to a larger proportion. I think the mark of a true artist is the ability to be able to work in a larger (or smaller) scale, amplifying the effect of a piece without using size as a crutch. A work should be able to stand on its own, no matter how tall.
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