Dear Diane and dear Shaded Viewers,
Yesterday evening I went to the opening of Knockin' On Heaven's Door, an exhibition by Belgian contemporary artist Wim Delvoye at Bozar in Brussels.
The exhibition is an overview of all the works by Delvoye that refer to the Gothic. Wim Delvoye presents monumental cathedrals in steel, along with crooked Christs and heads, obscene stained-glass windows and steel towers.
A perfect example of this Gothic inspired work is 'Chapel #2, 2007" where he starts from a thorough study of (neo)Gothic buildings, which he reinterprets making use of high-technology, such as laser-cut steel.
'Twisted Christ' are bronze statues of Jesus on the Chross, which is twisted, manipulated and turned, trying to express the physical suffering of Jesus and also the manipulation of religion by mankind.
Some parts of the exhibition also conjured with another exhibition of Lucas Cranach, a painter of the 16th century. It was nice to see them confronted and the contemporary interpretation of Delvoye on Cranach's work.
I loved the sketches and drawings of Cranach!
And I also loved the Wim Delvoye merchandising at the museum shop.
Wim Delvoye – Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Until 23/01/2011 at Bozar – Brussels
More info www.wimdelvoye.be