Ron Mueck: 'Standing Woman' Becomes Special Resident of Towada City

In Japan, cities sometimes honor their distinguished citizens, but it is rarer for them to bestow such treatment on a work of art. Yet this is what Towada, in Aomori Prefecture, is about to do by registering Standing Woman (2007), the hyperrealist sculpture by Australian artist Ron Mueck, on its list of 'special residents'.

The ceremony for the special residency card will take place on September 11, 2026, from 2:00 to 2:30 PM, in the permanent exhibition room of the Towada Art Center where the work is installed. The initiative aims to recognize the sculpture's role in the life of the city since the museum opened in 2008, and is part of the preparations for the institution's twentieth anniversary in 2028.

Standing Woman stands over four meters tall. Ron Mueck, known for his hyperrealistic figures at unusual scales, reproduces the wrinkles of the skin, veins, and even hair with unsettling precision. For eighteen years, the work has become one of the museum's icons, beloved by visitors and locals alike.

During the ceremony, a message from the artist himself will be presented. The city also plans to distribute commemorative special resident cards to the general public at future museum events. In addition, the museum has posted on its official YouTube channel a video of a talk by Charlie Clark, who has long been involved in the planning and installation of Mueck's works.

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Written by the ADM desk based on 美術手帖. Read the original article for the full story.