The Little Art Window: WIM DELVOYE "NAUTILUS": Gstaad
OLIVIER VARENNE is delighted to present Nautilus, a sculpture from Belgian artist Wim Delvoye at The Little Art Window in Gstaad.
Born in 1965 in Belgium, neo-conceptual artist Wim Delvoye appropriates and diverts art-historical styles and motifs to sublimate trivial yet rather unconventional objects.
The Gothic period has held a fascination for Wim Delvoye for over a decade. He first included elements of Gothic style in his works in an ironic manner, using the ornate motifs, once reserved for castles and cathedrals, in dump trucks or cement mixers. Since then, as with Nautilus, he has played with the highly elaborate structure of Gothic buildings to create sculptures that look like cathedrals and towers which have been twisted out of shape.
One of the finest natural examples of a logarithmic spiral, nautilus shells were found by fishermen in the Indo-Pacific region hidden in deep coral reefs. They were considered great marvels and prized objects in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards and were exchanged across global trade networks. Often mounted on intricate gold bases they were displayed in grand Wunderkammers or Cabinets of Curiosities.
Delvoye’s take on the nautilus shell, is reborn as a Gothic cathedral that has been coiled into the shape of the mollusc’s whorled home. Whilst Nautilus is made of steel that has been cut into delicate filigree using lasers, the product of highly sophisticated techniques of computerised design, the sculpture reminds us of the intricacy of nature whilst also evoking the laboured craftsmanship of historical metalwork. The result is a unique combination of styles, time periods and sensibilities.
NAUTILUS (SCALE MODEL 1:25), 2011
Lasercut stainless steel 97.5 x 50 x 103 cm., unique
PROVENANCE
from the Artists’ studio Private Collection
EXHIBI TED
Paris, Louvre, Wim Delvoye au Louvre, 31 May – 17 September 2012
