Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys (BE)

°1965 / °1966

De Gruyter and Thys have been working together for more than 25 years. Their oeuvre comprises films, photography, sculptures and installations. They create a world peopled with marginalized, lost creatures. Non-professional actors as well as mannequins and clay figures embody these strange, deflated and seemingly traumatized characters. The artists’ work is characterized by a burlesque simplicity and black humour, which makes you snicker. Their absurd creations can be interpreted as critical reflections on the position of the artist and as sobering conclusions about man’s social behaviour.

The Brown of Mechelen (2013)

video installation, sound

This new video by Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys echoes a previous work: Brigitte Pannecoucke – an audio play featuring a woman who talks about erotic creams and interior design, complains about a bed & breakfast and has an epiphany. This is interspersed with riddles and jokes. In The Brown of Mechelen (Het Bruin van Mechelen), an anonymous person talks about poisonous snakes, health tips and travelling to the Mont Ventoux. This is also laced with certain observations and some jokes and riddles. In the background, we discover the city of Mechelen in the year 2013 through different atmospheric images of the town.

Produced by Contour 2013.