ArtDependence | Belgian Artist Wim Delvoye found Not Guilty in Artwork Ownership Dispute

Monday, June 2, 2025

Artist Wim Delvoye (60) was acquitted today by the criminal court in Ghent, Belgium, on charges of breach of trust and theft.

Delvoye had been prosecuted for allegedly selling his artwork 'Chapel' to a second buyer in 2015, despite an earlier sale in 2013.

In late 2012, Delvoye had commissioned a Swiss gallery to sell the artwork. In January 2013, the gallery entered into a sales agreement with an American company for €650,000. However, according to the court, the piece remained in Delvoye’s studio and was later sold in 2015 to Katoen Natie for €400,000.

The court ruled that the sale was conducted under an agency agreement, which does not entail an automatic transfer of ownership. The charges were deemed unfounded, and Delvoye was fully acquitted.

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Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.

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