Family Romance
1993
Mixed Media
134.6 x 215.9 x 27.9 cm (53 x 85 x 11 in.)
A family of four, two parents and two children, hold hands standing in a line, all completely naked. The size and shape of the two children is proportional to that of their parents, but their bodies remain true to their age.
The highly realistic sculpture Family Romance (1993) is just as disturbing in its content as in its name. The name implies the notion of a physical relationship between the members of this family, represented at the same size. Charles Ray constructs a critique of the American model of the nuclear family with strong values. Here, modifications of scale imply disruption of the private sphere and the balance of power in the family - the parents become smaller and the children larger, and the romance becomes public.
The artist’s work in the Pinault Collection was shown at the Palazzo Grassi at the "Le Monde vous appartient" (“The World Belongs to You”) exhibition (2011-2012).
The highly realistic sculpture Family Romance (1993) is just as disturbing in its content as in its name. The name implies the notion of a physical relationship between the members of this family, represented at the same size. Charles Ray constructs a critique of the American model of the nuclear family with strong values. Here, modifications of scale imply disruption of the private sphere and the balance of power in the family - the parents become smaller and the children larger, and the romance becomes public.
The artist’s work in the Pinault Collection was shown at the Palazzo Grassi at the "Le Monde vous appartient" (“The World Belongs to You”) exhibition (2011-2012).
Exhibitions
© The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Exhibition view, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1998.
