Unless you’re a real motorhead – addicted to anything with wheels that goes fast – you probably don’t think “beauty” when it comes to tires. These works from the wild Belgian artist Wim Delvoye could change your mind. Taking all kinds of tire (or tyre if you prefer), he carves into the hard rubber to create latice-like structures of ornate pattern. From fleur de lis to wild dragons, each of his pieces harkens back to the now (mostly) dead art of scrimshaw – only instead of precious ivory, he’s using discarded tires. In a reversal of the rightfully scorned ivory trade, Delvoye takes something nearly worthless and turns it into a treasure. [Read more...]