A Dutch conceptual artist is causing a bit of a stir in the art world after making a sculpture of a life-size human skull using cocaine for a private collector.

The artist, who goes by the name of Diddo, created the work ’Ecce Animal,’ from a concoction of gelatin and cocaine. Laboratory tests show the cocaine, which was ‘street sourced’, is 15% to 20% pure.

‘Ecce Animal is not intended to be a parable on the self-destructiveness of addiction or substance abuse,’ he told Bullet Magazine.

‘I don’t want to over-intellectualise, but it’s the fusion of two icons that provokes thought and discussion on the nature of man. Specifically, about his creation of, and participation in, a society which echoes his own tendency to lose control.’

Secrecy

Diddo is unable to disclose any information about the work’s price or worth, or the legality of the sculpture, because of an agreement with his patron. The work was 20 months in the making.

‘As this was a commissioned piece, I’m under a pretty binding non-disclosure agreement, and thus unable to provide too much information,’ he said.

Diddo’s other works include designer gasmasks and a champagne fire extinguisher.