Belgian artist Wim Delvoye pushes the boundaries of art by combining seemingly contradictory elements.His walk-in installation, 'Chapelle', is a chapel constructed entirely of metal in the Gothic style. Instead of the traditional biblical scenes and depictions of saints expected in such a setting, however, the windows display X-ray images.While the sacred form remains, the content has changed radically, taking on profane and atheistic traits with its depictions of human and animal skeletons, organs, teeth, extended middle fingers and sexual acts on what is actually a deeply religious medium: the church window.These motifs create a modern interpretation of vanitas.Delvoye removes the X-ray and CT images from their medical context.By presenting these luminous, transparent images as an homage to sensual physicality, themorbid becomes a celebration of life — Eros and Thanatos are thus united in one installation.
Delvoye's approach can be seen as an ironic critique of the metaphysical promise of salvation and the traditional view of art as a divine medium.The chapel thus fits into an oeuvre characterised by subtle humour, drastic taboo-breaking and monumental materiality, as well as artistic craftsmanship.
Theartist also examines his own work: the chapel windows feature X-ray images of his controversial artmachine, Cloaca, which simulates the human digestive process.
Lick Pick
Lick Pig Delvoye
Copyright: Wim Delvoye, courtesy the artist
Wim Delvoye, courtesy the artist
WimDelvoyeisaBelgianartistwhohasbecomewell-knownforhisprovocativeandunconventionalartworks, whichhehasdeliberatelycreatedtobreakalltaboos, usingsubtlehumour.One example is his 2000 piece Lick Pig, an X-ray image showing him – as the glasses suggest – apparently licking a pig's anus. This addresses the taboo of zoophilia as a sexual desire.
