Mercedes-Benz is the official partner of the Louvre Museum in Paris

Mercedes-Benz is continuing the successful partnership launched last year by Maybach with the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris. Until 2013, the premium car brand with the star will be the exclusive main sponsor of annually alternating exhibitions of contemporary
sculpture beneath the world-famous glass pyramid. From tomorrow, Mercedes-Benz is presenting the new sculpture 'Suppo', by Belgian conceptual artist Wim Delvoye. It will be on view in the Louvre until December 3, 2012, as part of the artist’s monographic exhibition.

Last year, for the first time since its construction in 1989, the space beneath the glass pyramid was used for an art installation on the initiative of Maybach. The annually alternating exhibitions started off with leading contemporary British artist, Tony Cragg, and his monumental sculpture 'Versus', which was a great success. The glass pyramid in front of the main entrance to the Louvre became an even bigger crowd-puller than ever.

“Daimler and its brands promote art projects of various kinds," explained Anders Sundt Jensen, Vice-President, Brand Communications, Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We are very pleased to continue this successful partnership with the Louvre and to support the museum in expanding its programme of contemporary art.”

Wim Delvoye – one of the best-known Belgian artists of our time
The exceptional Belgian artist, Wim Delvoye, will exhibit the monumental sculpture 'Suppo' under the glass pyramid. The work is a 12x1.45-m, 1,050-kilo spire fashioned from stainless steel in a Gothic style. Other works of art such as 'Daphnis & Chloe', 'Trophy' and 'Nautilus' will be exhibited until September 17, 2012 at the Louvre in the Gothic rooms of the Departement des Objets d’art, in the apartments of Emperor Napoleon III and in the Tuileries Gardens, curated by Marie-Laure Bernadac.

Wim Delvoye is one of the best-known Belgian artists of our time. His work is full of subversive irony, is provocative, absurdly beautiful and absolutely compelling. He loves to create a connection between objects, contradictory ideas and techniques. His pieces display an imaginary world in which everything is possible - a mountain with a personal message engraved on it, a handball goal with the net made from lead-glass windows or a gas canister made from clay. Delvoye’s contemporary art has its roots in the subversive and ironic re-interpretation of older styles, such as Gothic and Baroque. His works have been exhibited in many leading art institutions, including the Centre Pompidou and the Rodin Museum in Paris, the Kunst Palast in Dusseldorf, the New Museum in New York, the MAMAC in Nice and the Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

Posted in: Anders Sundt Jensen,Glass Pyramid,International,Louvre Museum,Mercedes-Benz,Mercedes-Benz Cars,Out of Wheels,Paris,Sponsorship/Partnership,Wim Delvoye