Artist Wim Delvoye has proven that he is the master of transforming disused machinery and tires into gorgeous works of art. But the artist also has a sinister side, as this his Chapel series illustrates rather well. These gorgeous (if gruesome) windows are installed in an intricate chapel made from laser cut steel in the style of a 17th century Flemish Baroque church.
Delvoye has made over the jewel-toned saints normally depicted in stained glass. One of his creepy creations shows two skeletons in a passionate embrace, hugging and kissing in panels that make up an arched gothic window, with jeweled stained glass diamonds connecting the panels. Other pieces are more abstract: Swirls of spinal columns intersect rows and rows of x-rayed teeth, set against blood red glass. Skulls, spines, and hips intermingle with bold stained glass hues, unified together to make up giant windows.
The translucent x-rays illuminate just as colored glass does, creating a dazzling-yet-morbid display. Using traditional Medieval craftsmanship, these macabre windows create a truly spooky atmosphere. Delvoye is no stranger to the grim and ghastly, as he also dabbled in the macabre with his series called “Art Farm,” where he tattooed pig skins that were discarded by slaughterhouses in the United States.
+ Wim Delvoye
