Middle Gate

The exhibition project Middle Gate II – The Story of Dymphna is a collaboration between M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp) and the cultural centre de Werft in Geel. Middle Gate II is the follow up to the exhibition Middle Gate, curated by Jan Hoet in Geel in 2013. The exhibition concept is closely tied to the legend of the holy Dymphna, saint of the possessed, the mentally ill and patroness against epilepsy and insanity. The legend of Dymphna shares a strong connection to the identity of Geel, "the charitable city".

Els Dietvorst

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(c)Els Dietvorst

The Dance of the Thatcher, 2019

Els Dietvorst

Video , 00:40:00

digital file

For The Dance of the Thatcher, Dietvorst follows Matt, a thatcher, for eight years during his work. Thatching is an old craft and a profession that is threatened by current socio-economic conditions. Matt's way of life is at odds with today's super-fast and virtual world. In his world, knowledge is acquired through action and words are sparingly spoken. Traditions and rituals are not in the service of capital or ideology, but of life itself. The film fits in with Dietvorst's interest in phenomena that are being ignored by modern progress ideology.

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