A major retrospective of Australian sculptor Ron Mueck has opened at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, featuring eleven of his meticulously crafted figurative works, including the Japan premiere of 'Mass' (100 giant human skulls). The exhibition, co-organized by the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, travels to Tokyo after stops in Paris, Milan, and Seoul, and includes iconic pieces such as 'Woman with Sticks' and 'Angel', the latter installed on the museum's 53rd floor overlooking the city.
This exhibition matters because it marks Mueck's second solo show in Japan, highlighting the strong cultural resonance his hyperreal, ambiguous sculptures have with Japanese audiences, who value craftsmanship and figurine traditions. The show underscores Mueck's unique position in contemporary sculpture—producing only about 50 works over 30 years—and demonstrates how his work continues to invite deeply personal interpretations, especially through site-specific installations like 'Mass'.