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The new exhibition by Australian sculptor Ron Mueck at the NGV in Melbourne is a delightfully weird and hilariously creepy affair. Expect human bodies, and lots of them; a giant (it literally takes up half the room) newborn still covered in afterbirth, a pair of miniature wrinkly grandmothers (Two Women, pictured below), a young man with a stab wound and the startling body of a man — Mueck’s most famous piece — entitled Dead Dad. Mueck’s sculptures are a bizarre clash of the hyper realistic and the slightly surreal, created with concoctions including polyester resins, fibreglass, silicone and synthetic hair.

The attention to detail is amusing and unnerving. Many of the sculptures are naked, but these aren’t glamorous sexy babes — although my friend did say that if “Wild Man” (seen here)  was 20 years younger, she’d be interested — but flawed and authentic looking human bodies. We’re talking greying pubes, oddly shaped moles, bulging stomachs and uneven toenails in need of a trim. It’s a very physical exhibition, visitors get up close to the sculptures, pointing out the flaws and wondering how they could possibly have been created, which apparently the artist encourages. If you peer into the sculptures’ faces, it really is like their sad little souls are staring right back at you. Go. You will be fascinated.

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The details: The exhibition is on at the National Gallery of Victoria (don’t be confused and head to the Ian Potter centre just because Mueck is Australian. It’s at the International Gallery on St Kilda Road, there isn’t enough room at the Potter for the huge sculptures). 10am-5pm every day except Tuesdays. It’s on til April 18, so interstaters still have time to hotfoot it down. Or else buy the exhibition catalogue here.

On May 8, it’s heading to the Queensland Art Gallery.