The work of Belgian artist duo Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys is rooted in a folksy, tragicomic sensibility honed into an experimental dramaturgy. Their video and photographic work use simple, symbolic sets, where inter-human tensions between a recurring cast of non-professional actors as well as invented or adopted personae are constructed and an outspoken depression becomes tangible. Defined by their characteristic ghoulish humour, the works of de Gruyter & Thys not only reflect on the major issues concerning social strata, but broaden the scope through an obsessive observation of their inner processes.

Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys have had numerous solo exhibitions, including shows at MCA, Chicago; MoMA PS1, New York; CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco; M HKHA, Antwerp; and most recently at Raven Row, London.

Their work have been shown in several group exhibitions at venues such as SculptureCenter, New York; ICA, London; and S.M.A.K., Ghent. They also participated at the 55th Biennale di Venezia in 2013.

Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys are represented by the following galleries;
click through to discover more of their work.

Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, Brussels

Isabella Bortolozzi Galerie, Berlin

Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York