Wim Delvoye (Wervick/België, 1965) became widely known, also outside Belgium, on the occasion of the documenta 9 in 1992 with a large "mosaic" of white ceramic tiles decorated with beautifully-arranged scrolls of excrement. To this day his work is characterised by opposites which are not just limited to the aesthetic aspect. Be it in Indonesia where an original sized, 7-ton cement-mixing lorry was carved in teak and adorned with pseudo-baroque embellishments or building shovels painted with imaginary flags - in all instances his work focuses on commonplacen rites and the acquisition of symbols, on reinterpretation, and on the meaningful and meaningless. The works are encompassed by a network of definitions and references that are contradictory or cancel each other out, or that mutually propel each other. Even though the created objects are often massive, they still create the impression of a playful flow of thoughts with an ironic undertone where many elements come together.to E.ON AG and Metro AG, the new sponsor Degussa AG was officially included on 20 August 2001 into the circle of sponsors for the new building of the museum kunst palast. Professor Utz-Hellmuth Felcht, Chairman of the Degussa Managing Board, gave the following reason for their decision to join the circle of sponsors: "Creativity, dynamics and internationality - these are the brand symbols of the new Degussa. Consequently, as a responsible corporate citizen, we are happy to be a sponsor for the museum kunst palast, particularly since this exciting new building - just as the Corporate Centre of the new Degussa - is located in Düsseldorf. Degussa will donate DM 1 million to the foundation of the new museum kunst palast within the framework of the exhibition activities, initially for the exhibition "Altars and Shrines of the World". The exhibition in museum kunst palast, which will go on tour in a slightly modified form, will present three of Delvoye's latest large-format works, including the special highlight "Cloaca", a 12 meter long machine representing the artificial reproduction of the human digestive tract. Daily food intake and bowel movement takes place at set times during the exhibition hours.

Exposerende kunstenaar(s) / exhibited artist(s): Wim Delvoye

Museum Kunst Palast Ehrenhof 4-5, D-40479 Düsseldorf, +49-2118996260, open: di t/m zo 12.00-20.00, entree € 7 Expositieperiode van 2 februari t/m 5 mei 2002