GILT AND CHROME

Like so many people I discovered Wim Delvoye through his pigs, «excrements» and a lot of vulgarity. Then if you go back to «Persisting» of May the 26th, I had now found a new Wim which pleased me. This reference to Gothic art, mythology interpreted though lace work and steel, is quite fascinating. Would the Louvre exhibition prove to be something else? 

The something else was wandering through the very famous Napoleon lll apartments with groups of tourists who were not there for contemporary art. It would have made a lovely movie just to record some of the faces looking at the contemporary installations in such luxurious quarters. The dripping chandeliers, dining rooms, living areas did not overshadow this extraordinary work. I do think though that the car tires get a bit lost next to the dumping truck and that the rabbit slippers in a glass case go virtually unnoticed.

Dumping Truck

Next to Dumping Truck

Bunny Slippers



 But the pigs in the main living area blend in beautifully with the silk  carpets - they too are in silk! 


Over the pigs!

Two of three pigs
The other one on the right

Dinig room with Mobius - different religious symblos





 The Gothic Cathedral is lost in another room and tourists stopped short when they discovered it. I would think they probably thought it dated from the medieval period and it certainly did not conflict with any other objects in the room despite its size. Cameras went click, click and the tourists moved on without looking to see what period the cathedral came from!


 



 What really is something is the structure at the entrance of the Louvre museum. «Suppo» - Difficult to imagine how high it is. A cross? A Gothic piece of architecture? A spire? 





A lot of his work is very controversial, religious concepts which probably shock a few and yet I know that some of his work is  purchased by believers so if the religious context is noticeable and appreciated for some, it certainly does not seem to bother others.







The Kill




I have visited those «appartements» many times with visitors. The gilt more than overwhelms me. This time I only had eyes for Wim.  


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