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| The man who sold his back to an art dealer | The man who sold his back to an art dealer |
| (7 days later) | |
| Tim Steiner has an elaborate tattoo on his back that was designed by a famous artist and sold to a German art collector. When Steiner dies his skin will be framed - until then he spends his life sitting in galleries with his shirt off. | Tim Steiner has an elaborate tattoo on his back that was designed by a famous artist and sold to a German art collector. When Steiner dies his skin will be framed - until then he spends his life sitting in galleries with his shirt off. |
| "The work of art is on my back, I'm just the guy carrying it around," says the 40-year-old former tattoo parlour manager from Zurich. | "The work of art is on my back, I'm just the guy carrying it around," says the 40-year-old former tattoo parlour manager from Zurich. |
| A decade ago, his then girlfriend met a Belgian artist called Wim Delvoye, who'd become well known for his controversial work tattooing pigs. | A decade ago, his then girlfriend met a Belgian artist called Wim Delvoye, who'd become well known for his controversial work tattooing pigs. |
| Delvoye told her he was looking for someone to agree to be a human canvas for a new work and asked if she knew anyone who might be interested. | Delvoye told her he was looking for someone to agree to be a human canvas for a new work and asked if she knew anyone who might be interested. |
| "She called me on the phone, and I said spontaneously, 'I'd like to do that,'" Steiner says. | "She called me on the phone, and I said spontaneously, 'I'd like to do that,'" Steiner says. |
| Two years later, after 40 hours of tattooing, the image spread across his entire back - a Madonna crowned by a Mexican-style skull, with yellow rays emanating from her halo. | Two years later, after 40 hours of tattooing, the image spread across his entire back - a Madonna crowned by a Mexican-style skull, with yellow rays emanating from her halo. |
| There are swooping swallows, red and blue roses, and at the base of Steiner's back two Chinese-style koi fish, ridden by children, can be seen swimming past lotus flowers. The artist has signed the work on the right hand side. | There are swooping swallows, red and blue roses, and at the base of Steiner's back two Chinese-style koi fish, ridden by children, can be seen swimming past lotus flowers. The artist has signed the work on the right hand side. |
| "It's the ultimate art form in my eyes," Steiner says. | "It's the ultimate art form in my eyes," Steiner says. |
| "Tattooers are incredible artists who've never really been accepted in the contemporary art world. Painting on canvas is one thing, painting on skin with needles is a whole other story." | "Tattooers are incredible artists who've never really been accepted in the contemporary art world. Painting on canvas is one thing, painting on skin with needles is a whole other story." |
| The work, entitled TIM, sold for 150,000 euros (£130,000) to German art collector Rik Reinking in 2008, with Steiner receiving one third of the sum. | The work, entitled TIM, sold for 150,000 euros (£130,000) to German art collector Rik Reinking in 2008, with Steiner receiving one third of the sum. |
| "My skin belongs to Rik Reinking now," he says. "My back is the canvas, I am the temporary frame." | "My skin belongs to Rik Reinking now," he says. "My back is the canvas, I am the temporary frame." |
| As part of the deal, when Steiner dies his back is to be skinned, and the skin framed permanently, taking up a place in Reinking's personal art collection. | As part of the deal, when Steiner dies his back is to be skinned, and the skin framed permanently, taking up a place in Reinking's personal art collection. |
| "Gruesome is relative," Steiner says to those who find the idea macabre. | "Gruesome is relative," Steiner says to those who find the idea macabre. |
| "It's an old concept - in Japanese tattoo history it's been done many, many times. If it's framed nicely and looks good, I think it's not such a bad idea." | "It's an old concept - in Japanese tattoo history it's been done many, many times. If it's framed nicely and looks good, I think it's not such a bad idea." |
| But this aspect of the work often sparks intense debate. | But this aspect of the work often sparks intense debate. |
| "It becomes a huge discussion matter every time, and those confrontations with people have been very exciting and interesting," Steiner says. | "It becomes a huge discussion matter every time, and those confrontations with people have been very exciting and interesting," Steiner says. |
| "People are either very into the idea, or say it's going too far - they're outraged or say it's against human rights. They come with ideas of slavery or prostitution." | "People are either very into the idea, or say it's going too far - they're outraged or say it's against human rights. They come with ideas of slavery or prostitution." |
| Find out more | Find out more |
| As part of his contract, Steiner must exhibit the tattoo by sitting topless in a gallery at least three times a year. | As part of his contract, Steiner must exhibit the tattoo by sitting topless in a gallery at least three times a year. |
| His first exhibition took place in Zurich in June 2006 - when the tattoo was still a work-in-progress. When the 10th anniversary fell last year, he was in the middle of his longest-ever exhibition, a whole year at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Tasmania, working five hours a day, six days a week. | His first exhibition took place in Zurich in June 2006 - when the tattoo was still a work-in-progress. When the 10th anniversary fell last year, he was in the middle of his longest-ever exhibition, a whole year at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Tasmania, working five hours a day, six days a week. |
| That came to an end on Tuesday. | That came to an end on Tuesday. |
| "Sit on your desk, with your legs dangling off, straight backed and holding on to your knees for 15 minutes - it's tough," he says. | "Sit on your desk, with your legs dangling off, straight backed and holding on to your knees for 15 minutes - it's tough," he says. |
| "I did this for 1,500 hours. It was by far the most outrageously intense experience of my life. | |
| "All that changed throughout the days was my state of mind - sometimes heaven, sometimes hell, always totally alert." | "All that changed throughout the days was my state of mind - sometimes heaven, sometimes hell, always totally alert." |
| The only thing separating Steiner from visitors to the gallery is a line on the floor - a line that that in the past some have crossed. | The only thing separating Steiner from visitors to the gallery is a line on the floor - a line that that in the past some have crossed. |
| "I've been touched, blown on, screamed at, pushed and spat on, it's often been quite a circus," he says. "But I wasn't touched a single time on this trip, it's a miracle." | "I've been touched, blown on, screamed at, pushed and spat on, it's often been quite a circus," he says. "But I wasn't touched a single time on this trip, it's a miracle." |
| When people try to speak to him he doesn't move or reply. He just sits still. "Many people think I'm a sculpture, and have quite a shock once they find out I'm actually alive," he says. | When people try to speak to him he doesn't move or reply. He just sits still. "Many people think I'm a sculpture, and have quite a shock once they find out I'm actually alive," he says. |
| But he rejects the idea that this is performance art. "If the name Wim Delvoye was not attached to this tattoo, it would have no artistic relevance," he insists. | But he rejects the idea that this is performance art. "If the name Wim Delvoye was not attached to this tattoo, it would have no artistic relevance," he insists. |
| It is part of Delvoye's intention, though, to show the difference between a picture on the wall and a "living canvas" that changes over time. | It is part of Delvoye's intention, though, to show the difference between a picture on the wall and a "living canvas" that changes over time. |
| "I can get fat, scarred, burned, anything," Steiner says. "It's the process of living. I've had two lower back operations." | "I can get fat, scarred, burned, anything," Steiner says. "It's the process of living. I've had two lower back operations." |
| One of the joys of working at Mona has been having the gallery to himself before opening time. | One of the joys of working at Mona has been having the gallery to himself before opening time. |
| "To be in there by myself, with my headphones in, roaming around and doing my stretches surrounded by stunning art in this mystical building was surreal," he says. | "To be in there by myself, with my headphones in, roaming around and doing my stretches surrounded by stunning art in this mystical building was surreal," he says. |
| And he will be back there in November, for a six-month stint, after appearances in Denmark and Switzerland. | And he will be back there in November, for a six-month stint, after appearances in Denmark and Switzerland. |
| "This whole experience has convinced me that this is what I am here to do. Sit on boxes," he says. | "This whole experience has convinced me that this is what I am here to do. Sit on boxes," he says. |
| "And one day TIM will just hang there. Beautiful." | "And one day TIM will just hang there. Beautiful." |
| Places Tim has been exhibited | Places Tim has been exhibited |
| 2006: de Pury & Luxembourg gallery, Zurich | 2006: de Pury & Luxembourg gallery, Zurich |
| 2008: Art Farm, Beijing; SH Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai | 2008: Art Farm, Beijing; SH Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai |
| 2008-9: ZKM, Karlsruhe | 2008-9: ZKM, Karlsruhe |
| 2009: Rathaus and Leuphana University, Luneburg | 2009: Rathaus and Leuphana University, Luneburg |
| 2010-11: Hochschule der Kunste, Berne | 2010-11: Hochschule der Kunste, Berne |
| 2011: Kunsthalle, Osnabruck; Robilant & Voena, London | 2011: Kunsthalle, Osnabruck; Robilant & Voena, London |
| 2011-12: Mona, Hobart | 2011-12: Mona, Hobart |
| 2012: Zone Contemporaine, Berne; Louvre, Paris | 2012: Zone Contemporaine, Berne; Louvre, Paris |
| 2013: Gewerbemuseum, Winterthur; Sammlung Reinking, Hamburg | 2013: Gewerbemuseum, Winterthur; Sammlung Reinking, Hamburg |
| 2014: Weserburg Museum, Bremen; Haus fur Kunst Uri, Altdorf | 2014: Weserburg Museum, Bremen; Haus fur Kunst Uri, Altdorf |
| 2015: Strada Fossaccio, Viterbo; Gewerbemuseum, Hamburg; Civita di Bagnoregio, Rome | 2015: Strada Fossaccio, Viterbo; Gewerbemuseum, Hamburg; Civita di Bagnoregio, Rome |
| 2016: Mona, Hobart | 2016: Mona, Hobart |
| Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. | Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. |
| Follow Harry Low on Twitter: @HarryLow49 | Follow Harry Low on Twitter: @HarryLow49 |
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