Ron Mueck's Hyperreal Giants Invade Fondation Cartier

Ron Mueck's second solo exhibition at the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris (April 16–October 27, 2013) presents hyperreal sculptures that challenge the category of hyperrealism. Unlike Duane Hanson's work, Mueck's pieces intrigue rather than showcase virtuosity. The centerpiece is a colossal sculpture of an elderly couple in swimsuits under a large colorful umbrella on an imaginary beach, their aged flesh rendered in meticulous detail—sun-reddened chest, stubble, freshly shaved legs, varicose veins, calloused feet. Another piece depicts a young man gripping his girlfriend's wrist, suggesting domination. The exhibition includes references to art history: Still Life evokes an inverted crucifixion with a skinned chicken hung by its feet; a young man examining his abdominal wound recalls Caravaggio's Incredulity of Saint Thomas. The highlight is a new kind of descent from the cross: a tanned man floating on an inflatable mattress in a turquoise pool, arms relaxed. A documentary by Gautier Deblonde offers intimate access to Mueck's process, from wax and clay maquettes to plastic and silicone casts, showing the artist as a meticulous, monastic figure paying homage to Flemish masters.