The Gigantic work of Ron Mueck

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Thomasin Dewhurst

The hatefulness lies in the artist's misanthropy.

It is the lack of feeling, never mind profound, that makes Mueck's work seem like the end of a bout of stomach flu.

I wonder if he is pretentious or just simple-minded. He probably thinks his works are really good.

Yes, but how do you like his work, really? Don't hold back.

I don't know that he is pretentious or simple-minded, as I'm not personally acquainted with him. I rather doubt he's either. He certainly has pushed some buttons here, which likely is exactly what he set out to do, and which means he succeeded rather brilliantly.

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Thomasin Dewhurst

Actually it was you who pushed my buttons by suggesting you liked his work.

Now you're just being churlish, Thomasin, and I don't know what your motivation for it is. You couldn't be aiming at a less apt target.

I can speak for myself and here's what I said. I expressly stated that a small concession to a felt impact of the work -- you obviously felt one, too -- didn't mean that I "liked" it, and I also said it was disconcerting and disturbing, so much so that I declined to even post another image. Why in the world would you bother to go to the trouble to make a self-serving translation of that into my saying that I "liked" it?

Or insist that, because you had declared that I "liked" it, I had thereby somehow directed affront your way? I don't even know who you are -- nor you, me.

In any event, no, I'm not going to spew invective at Mueck or personally brand him as hateful, misanthropic, simple-minded or pretentious just because you don't approve of his work. Your imprimatur isn't the gauge of what interests or affects me.

As is the case with banned books, the stridency of personal vitriol leveled against this guy -- whom I had never heard of before this thread was posted -- now makes me want to know more about him.

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

I apologise, Steven. I didn't mean for you to take offense.

[Steven Sweeney]

Thank you. No harm done. Clean slate, I hope.

[Steven Sweeney]

You're late to dinner, Sharon. We've already exchanged dessert. You wouldn't have liked it.