Wim Delvoye
The culture of tattooing pigs has a history of several millennia. Pigs have long been tattooed to keep an eye on them as they grow and are transported for sale. Even ancient farm manuals on the tattoo process have survived.
In addition, pigskin is very similar in quality to human skin and tattoo artists have traditionally trained on it before starting to stuff anything on a person. Pigskin can easily be bought at the butcher's markets. And even the top-notch tattooists today continue to train on pigskin and teach others how to do it.
A live pig, however, became a tattoo and art object not so long ago. Today, a domestic tattooed pig is no longer surprising - as, indeed, any tattooed animals - from bald cats to tattooed fish.
In addition, pigskin is very similar in quality to human skin and tattoo artists have traditionally trained on it before starting to stuff anything on a person. Pigskin can easily be bought at the butcher's markets. And even the top-notch tattooists today continue to train on pigskin and teach others how to do it.
A live pig, however, became a tattoo and art object not so long ago. Today, a domestic tattooed pig is no longer surprising - as, indeed, any tattooed animals - from bald cats to tattooed fish.
Wim Delvoye
Subscribe and read about Master of sensual photography! This will help us to produce more quality material exclusively for our subscribers!
By clicking on the button, you consent to the processing of your personal data
«Pigs are so close to us. They are naked and easy to tattoo - that's the first thing. They do not feel it and do not even know that they have tattoos. We get organs from them, we carry out genetic experiments on them in order to develop medicine for humanity... Pigs have a lot more in common with people than we will ever be able to admit».
Pigs became the first animals to be tattooed for artistic reasons, and the artist Wim Delvoye brought them the greatest fame in the 2000s. The Belgian artist began tattooing pigs in the United States in 1997, but in 2004 he had to move to China, where animal welfare laws are more flexible. There he acquired a pig complex, calling it an Art Farm.
Chinese people liked the work of Wim Delvoye. Each tattoo is applied to pigs under anesthesia, and after that the master and his assistants make sure that the pigs' skin is healthy and hydrated.
Chinese people liked the work of Wim Delvoye. Each tattoo is applied to pigs under anesthesia, and after that the master and his assistants make sure that the pigs' skin is healthy and hydrated.
Wim Delvoye became famous all over the world thanks to his tattooed pigs, with whom he arranges exhibitions around the world and which he sells for big money.
These pigs live in bliss to old age, die by their own death, and only then they are skinned and sold as an art canvas at an auction. The price for such a "painting" goes off scale for the mark of 150 thousand dollars and more. Live pigs can also be purchased as a pet.
These pigs live in bliss to old age, die by their own death, and only then they are skinned and sold as an art canvas at an auction. The price for such a "painting" goes off scale for the mark of 150 thousand dollars and more. Live pigs can also be purchased as a pet.
«Wim Delvoye became famous all over the world thanks to his tattooed pigs, with whom he arranges exhibitions around the world and which he sells for big money».
Wim Delvoye stuffs pigs with tattoos of completely different themes, from the logos of Louis Vuitton and Disney princesses to criminal prison tattoos of Russian prisoners. Wim does not tattoo his pigs alone, he has a whole team of specialists consisting of anesthesiologists and tattoo artists.
It should be noted that Wim Delvoye tries to carry only live animals to exhibitions that can behave in a “decent” manner in the museum space; to carry only pig skins he considers hypocrisy and a compromise.
It should be noted that Wim Delvoye tries to carry only live animals to exhibitions that can behave in a “decent” manner in the museum space; to carry only pig skins he considers hypocrisy and a compromise.
Curiously, Wim Delvoye calls himself a vegetarian and says that he washes his hands a hundred times a day.
Delvoye sees a special meaning in his art: pigs die - tattoos remain, eternal thing on a temporary, like life and death itself.
Delvoye sees a special meaning in his art: pigs die - tattoos remain, eternal thing on a temporary, like life and death itself.