Wim Delvoye, Twisted Cement Truck (2017), via Art Observed

Taking over the spacious downtown location of Galerie Perrotin, Belgian artist Wim Delvoye has returned to New York City, capping his sixth one-person show with the gallery and his first singular presentation at Perrotin New York with a body of new works that continue his irreverent and critically-nuanced practice.  Continuing his formal deconstructions and spatial riddles with a series of works made during preparations for an exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the show sees Delvoye engaging broadly with the history of Iranian art, and the modern landscape of the Middle East.  (more…)

The Tehran Museum has announced a historically significant exhibition of the work of Wim Delvoye, the first time the museum has used its entire space, comprising nine galleries and outdoor space, for a show focusing on a non-Iranian artist.  “They are very professional; they are easier to work with than the Louvre,” the Belgian artist said of the museum. (more…)

Wim Delvoye, Oeuvres Choisies (1988-2011) (Installation View), via Galerie Guy Bartschi

This month, Galerie Guy Bärtschi in Geneva, Switzerland presented a solo show of works by Belgian neo-conceptual artist Wim Delvoye, running through March 15th, 2013.  Exploring a broad selection of the artist’s work, from his bold reinterpretations of classical symbolism to more contemporary iconography and satire, the show illustrated Delvoye’s broad practice, as applied towards the analysis of meaning and value in contemporary and classical art.

Wim Delvoye, Viae Crucis – Station XIV. Jesus Is Laid In The Tomb (2006), via Galerie Guy Bartschi (more…)

The Jing’An International Sculpture Project Biennial opens on today in a public park in Shanghai. It will include pieces by Wim Delvoye, Subodh Gupta, Jaume Plensa and others. Many of the sculptures will be purchased by the city and will be on permanent display. It is being organized by Huang Du, who curated the Chinese pavilions at the 2003 Venice Biennale and the 2004 São Paulo Biennial. (more…)

‪‬Ai Weiwei has been offered the opportunity to rebuild his demolished Chinese studio on Belgian artist Wim Delvoye’s manor [AO Newslink]

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Mircea Cantor’s work in FIAC 2011, image by Caroline Claisse for Art Observed, all photos by Art Observed unless otherwise noted.

By the close of FIAC on Sunday evening, some 68,000+ visitors had come through the fair.  These attendance figures represent a 6% increase from the previous year, reports the New York Times.  Housed this year in the exuberant Grand Palais, the fair showed strong sales from the get go. Despite the global economic downtown of recent years, the atmosphere was effervescent. French, American, and German galleries dominated the space (55, 26, and 21, respectively), but participants from Brazil, Turkey, and South Africa showed a strong presence at the fair for the first time. New York newcomers Matthew Marks, Eleven Rivington, Andrew Kreps, Michele Maccarone and Friedrich Petzel did well, and Pace Gallery made a comeback after a long absence. Compared to Frieze the week before in London, many fair-goers felt that the Parisian fair was riskier in content, creating a more exciting and eclectic display of artworks.

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Musicians play in front of a work by Alex Katz at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris, where the painter’s show Face The Music runs through November 19th, 2011. All Photos by Caroline Claisse for Art Observed

Thursday evening, October 20th, Parisian galleries across the city participated in what is called Nocturne des Galeries (Galleries Night Out). Hosted by FIAC, the event is an opportunity to survey the French art scene, as well as to “step up the commitment and increase the visibility of galleries focused on 20th century furniture conceived by architects and and contemporary design work.” The galleries are divided into five different sections: Louvre/Saint Germain, Champ Élysées, Eastern Paris, Louise Weiss, and Marias, which boasts the largest number of galleries. Art Observed was on site for openings at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Galerie Chantal Crousel and Emmanuel Perrotin.

Xavier Veilhan, opening of Orchestra at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin through November 12.

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Temporary Tattoo provided with exhibition statement As Long As It Lasts (2011), photo by A. Bogart for Art Observed

Arratia, Beer present “As Long As It Lasts…”, a group exhibition that is transitory in nature.  The gallery invited several artists and designers to design tattoos, which are inked on site by a professional tattoo artist, Sarah Bolen from AKA Berlin.  The tattoo artist was only on site for Gallery Weekend, April 29-May 1, so appointments need to be made for anyone wishing to be ‘signed by’ an artist.  Those who choose to have an artist’s design tattooed get a certificate of authenticity, thus certifying that a work of art is part of them.  Appointments can be made until the end of May.

Francesco Vezzoli Untitled (2011), via Arratia, Beer.

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