Belgian artist Wim Delvoye’s ‘human canvas’ piece inspired new body tattoo movie

Belgian artist Wim Delvoye’s human canvas work—an all-over physique tattoo inked on the torso of former Zurich tattoo parlour proprietor Tim Steiner—has impressed a brand new blockbuster film referred to as The Man Who Offered His Pores and skin. The movie’s director, Kaouther Ben Hania of Tunisia, informed Selection journal that she obtained the concept for the brand new film after seeing Steiner’s dramatic physique artwork in an exhibition. Delvoye makes a cameo look within the new film.

In 2007, Steiner met Delvoye who was searching for a human canvas on which he may ink tattoos. Delvoye lined Steiner’s again with a tattoo of the Madonna topped in a halo, topped with a Mexican cranium (the piece is entitled Tim). In 2008, Steiner’s pores and skin masterpiece was bought to the German collector Rik Reinking for €150,000. When Steiner dies, the pores and skin on his again daubed with the frilly tattoo will enter Reinking’s assortment.

The Man Who Offered His Pores and skin is likewise a couple of younger Syrian refugee who agrees to have a Schengen border zone visa tattooed on his again; the physique tattoo turns into his passport to Europe because the youth agrees to be exhibited in a Brussels museum. The movie, which additionally stars Monica Bellucci as an “icy artwork world operator” in keeping with Selection—is because of be launched in France on 13 January.

Delvoye tells The Artwork Newspaper: “Initially I had the choice to play the artist, however I might be continuously frightened about my actual life picture and that will stand in the best way of actually enjoying an artist. I might be so confused between enjoying one and being one. Then the filmmaker thought I may play the insurer—a gathering that additionally occurred with actual life Tim.”