Size matters

Viewing the "Gates of Hell"(To your Right) by the French artist Auguste Rodin is always very pleasant. I admire Rodins craftsmanship in modeling 180 figures in despair, and the carefully placement of each and single one of them. But, do I feel the horror of loosing my soul? No, I didn't. I felt that the figures emotions were a bit cliche, in their positions and facial expressions. I also had a hard time relating to the figures which were 15cm-1 meter tall, maybe if I was the same size as them, the whole thing would have had a stronger effect on me.

Take an artist like Ron Mueck (To your Left) who uses scale to have a impact on the viewer, and does it ever! His ordinary models and the positions of them, are powerful and intense. The scale is so big and successful, that it changes the figures from ordinary to extraordinary.