Ron Mueck

Ron Mueck

Book

This comprehensive monograph retraces Ron Mueck’s twenty-year career through previously unpublished sketches and studio photographs. The book coincides with the exhibition at the Fondation Cartier, Paris, and features new works created for the event.

Upon closer inspection, Mueck’s sculptures reveal his technical dexterity — each wrinkle is carved by hand and body hair is weaved in, strand by strand. Photographer Gautier Deblonde filmed the artist over the course of two years as he worked on the new sculptures in his North London studio and produced a documentary featured in the exhibition. The atmospheric stills of the studio lead the reader into the book.

People want to touch Ron Mueck’s sculptures, but they can’t. From this simple observation, we chose several papers to reflect the tactile qualities of the artist’s sculptures: the cover’s textured material is reminiscent of human hair; another paper used for the essays feels like skin to touch. Typography plays on scale, which is a major element in Ron Mueck’s work. Inspired by his approach, we juxtaposed very large and very small type together. Finally, the artist’s previously unpublished sketches were printed on smaller pages and nestled amongst finished works.

Publisher: Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, Paris
Contributors: Justin Paton, Robert Storr, Gautier Deblonde

2013