Installazione Castello di Rivoli (Castello di Rivoli Installation), 1990-91

 

 

The installations of Wim Delvoye, born in Wervik, Belgium, in 1965, are distinguished for the ironic intent with which they confront cultural themes of great importance.

The artist appropriates images that are widely disseminated on a mass level and considered "artistic" in the common sense of the word, like the characteristic figurines of Delft pottery, the abstract patterns of oriental rugs, and, more generally, the various elements of domestic decor.

Elements of similar styles are submitted to a kind of decontextualization and then linked with various objects at odds with their intended use: Delft decorations are applied to metal saw blades, oriental patterns to abstract paintings, and the designs of military banners to garden vases. This procedure uses humor as a device to distance the viewer psychologically, creating an effective critique of the lifestyles in which each of us finds ourselves.