Ron Mueck's hyper-real sculptures come to Manchester, Feb 4-April 11

By April MacIntyre Feb 5, 2010, 4:12 GMT

Spooning Couple 2005, © Ron Mueck 2008. Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. Acquired jointly through the d\'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The Art Fund 2008. Courtesy of Manchester Art Gallery

Sculptor and artist Ron Mueck brings his unique work to Manchester, England on
Thursday, February 4, 2010 through Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the Manchester Art Gallery.

Mueck's hyper-real sculptures are compositions of the human figure in their most intimate, isolated and vulnerable moments.

This exhibition features three out of scale sculptures: Wild Man, 2005; Spooning Couple, 2005; and Mask III, 2005.

According to the Manchester Art Gallery, Australian-born, London-based artist Ron Mueck began his career as a model maker and puppeteer for children’s television – working with creator of The Muppets Jim Henson on shows such as Sesame Street, and on films including Labyrinth.

Mueck's work was included in the Royal Academy’s 1997 Sensation exhibition alongside works by Young British Artists such as Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Jake & Dinos Chapman.

From the Manchester Art Gallery:

ARTIST ROOMS on Tour with The Art Fund has been devised to enable this collection held by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, to reach and inspire new audiences across the country, particularly young people.

Following the success of ARTIST ROOMS last year, 21 museums and galleries across the UK in 2010 will be showing 25 ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions and displays from the collection created by the curator and collector, Anthony d’Offay, and acquired by the nation in February 2008.

ARTIST ROOMS on Tour with The Art Fund has been devised to enable this collection held by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland, to reach and inspire new audiences across the country, particularly young people.

As will all the ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions, entry to the Ron Mueck show is completely free of charge. The Art Fund has allocated £250,000 per year of the tour to make this possible.