"Mask II," an enlarged self-portrait by Ron Mueck, is one of several hyper-realistic works on display at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
There’s something disarming about walking into a gallery and coming face to face with a 6-foot-tall head that looks like it might open its eyes at any moment.
That was my introduction to “Mask II,” a centerpiece in Ron Mueck’s first solo exhibition in Seoul, South Korea, now showing at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
You should act fast to catch the exhibit, which closes on July 13. Fortunately, the museum is conveniently close to two subway stations and admission — the equivalent of about $5 — is affordable.
I’d seen photos of Mueck’s work — hyper-realistic sculptures known for their obsessive detail and strange sense of scale — but nothing prepared me for the actual experience of standing in front of them.
A visitor examines "In Bed" during Ron Mueck’s solo exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
The space itself felt more like a dream than a museum. One moment, I was peering down at “Dead Dad,” a haunting miniature sculpture of Mueck’s late father. The next, I was physically dwarfed by “In Bed,” a colossal woman tucked under white sheets with a stare that seemed to go through me.
These sculptures demand your attention, not just because of their size or lifelike quality, but because they confront you. I found myself slowing down, walking more quietly, almost tiptoeing. Each piece, whether it’s a mother weighed down by groceries in “Woman with Shopping,” or the surreal tension of “Chicken/Man,” pulls you into a moment that feels private.
Then I turned a corner and froze. Towering in front of me was “Mass,” an overwhelming wall of more than 100 sculpted human skulls stacked in chaotic silence. The farther I walked, the more the sheer scale settled into my chest.
A crowd gathers to photograph "Mass," part of sculptor Ron Mueck’s exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Around me, Korean visitors reacted with hushed voices, raised phones or wide eyes. Some stood motionless, while others walked in slow circles around the massive pieces.
With the exhibition so near but closing soon, it would be a shame to not make time to experience it for yourself.
On the QT
Directions: 30 Samcheong-ro, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. A short walk from Anguk Station (Line 3, Exit 1) or Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3, Exit 5) on the Seoul metro.
Times: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ron Mueck’s solo exhibition closes July 13.
Costs: An all-pass admission ticket is 7,000 won.
Food: Options exist on site.
Information: Online: mmca.go.kr
