Cloaca

The Cloaca: first presented in 2000. It is a digestive machine with the sole purpose of producing fecal matter. The machine is designed to be fed several times a day with a variety of standard Belgian favorites such as Belgian frites with mayonnaise, monkfish, and Belgian beer.

First, food and water is dropped in the “mouth” hole. It churns away, and is sent through a system replicating that of the human digestive. Each container the matter is sent through represents an organ in the system, the stomach, pancreas, and intestines. Each one is filled with a specific and unique chemical composition of enzymes while creates an intestinal microclimate of bacterial flora. Eventually, depending on the feeding time and what was fed, the “anus” will produce fecal matter. It requires constant care and will release gas or have diarrhea if not taken care of properly and will die without food and water.

Cloaca is not a commentary on science, aesthetics, and is not meant to be useful. The artist refused to sell one of his machines to a diaper company that hoped to use it for tests.

Cloaca confronts viewers with the reminder of their own bodily presence. It also reminds them, as Delvoye says, “This is life”. Every element of our life includes this process and it is wonderfully disgraceful.

Cloaca Original

“Delvoye puts food next to shit, life next to death. Cloaca evokes humans in all their biological aspects; it is, however, a living being without purpose, a work of art with “human needs.”