Wim Delvoye

Wim Delvoye (b. 1965 Belgium) is a Belgian contemporary artist known for his provocative and often controversial works that blend conceptual art with intricate craftsmanship. Delvoye's art spans a wide range of media, including sculpture, installation, and tattooing, and frequently explores themes of religion, consumerism, and the human body. He is perhaps best known for his Cloaca series, a mechanical reproduction of the human digestive system that produces actual excrement, challenging the boundaries between art and science, as well as high and low culture. Delvoye also gained attention for his tattooed pigs, which combine traditional tattoo imagery with living, breathing animals, creating a complex dialogue about ethics, aesthetics, and commodification. His work, characterized by a mix of humor, irony, and technical brilliance, has established Delvoye as a leading figure in contemporary art, pushing the limits of what art can be. (Artist website)