Annouk Thys

Mostly I work with ceramic materials as glaze and porcelain. During my study (LUCA, BE) I already knew that experimenting was important to me. Bringing together different materials, how they interact and how things work. This interplay of experiment, creation and coincidence – making processes tangible and showing what usually remains invisible – is what challenges me and creates new forms. My time at the EKWC (NL) was an opportunity to do research on the possibility of glaze as a sculptural medium. Notions of the landscape, time and elements of nature appear repeatedly in my work.

Being in this process makes way to marvel at the world, collect other people’s stories and by this connect with the environment.

1996-2008: Visual Arts Ceramic – Sint-Lucas Academie, Gent
2008-2011: Master in Visual Arts – LUCA School of Arts, Gent

2013: ‘Transformer: glaze as sculpture’ – EKWC, ’s Hertogenbosch (NL)

2022

(VRIJ)plaats 2 ‘WIT’ – Wevelgem
‘Ceramic Art Andenne’ – Andenne
‘Collectible’ with Valcke Art Gallery – Vanderborght Building, Brussel
‘Out of Order’ – PILAR ASAP, Brussels
‘Connecting Minds’ – TaLe Art Gallery, Vlierzele

2021

‘Les invité(e)s’ – Kasteel Borluut, Gent
Zomersalon Buy Local #2 – Kunsthal Gent
‘Zombie Fires’ – Gent
‘Kunstroute Berlart’ – CC Stroming, Berlare
‘Living surfaces’ – Valcke Art Gallery, Gent
Belgian Art & Design Fair – Gent
‘IKONE 2021’ (selected for the ‘Majolika Karlsruhe Award for Contemporary Ceramic Art 2021’) – Staatliche Majolika Manufaktur, Karlsruhe (DE)
‘Biennale Internationale Des Métiers D’Art’ – De Mains De Maîtres, Viv(r)e La Matière, Be Craft, Luxembourg

2020

Website Quartz Inversion (curators Janet Abrams & Adil Writer)
‘Le Voyage à Xhignesse’ – Lieux-Communs, Xhignesse, Hamoir
Work present in museum – SONS (Shoe Or No Shoe), Kruishoutem
Zomersalon Buy Local – Kunsthal, Gent

2019

‘Vol Vuur Vol Vlam’ – Eeklo
‘Art In Champion’ – Lieux-Communs, Champion

2018

‘SLASH 0.1’ – Stedelijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten, Deinze
‘De Laatste Zit’ – Lier
’STRAF!’ – Oud Gerechtshof, Gent

2017

‘Ceramiek’ – Stedelijke Kunstacademie, Tielt

2016

‘European triennial for ceramics and glass 2016’ (winner of the prize of the public) – Les Anciens Abattoirs, Bergen

2014

‘FAR IN OUT, a painting show’ – Galerie Triangle Bleu, Stavelot

2013

‘Transfo – klei’ International ceramics exhibition – Zwevegem
‘There are stories of coincidence and chance and intersections and strange things told and which is which and nobody knows’ – Nucleo, Gent

2012

‘Onderstroom’ – Koksijde
‘Werktitel II’ – Lieux-communs, Namen

2011

‘Free Spaces’ (special project of The Moscow Biennale) – Moskou (RU)
‘De Connectie’ – Nucleo, Gent

2010

‘Werktitel’ – Croxhapox, Gent,
‘L’humilité des choses / Coming People’ – SMAK, Gent
‘Go-Between’ – Gynaika, Antwerpen
‘Fris XIII ‘ – Gallery Jan Colle, Gent
‘Go-Between’ – Gynaika, Brussel

The ceramic works of Annouk Thys have almost become paintings, in which the panel or tile are only reasons to look for the third dimension in the exhibition space. Several layers are exposed, appear to break or crack, forming a skin, a fungus or a palette of color. Shades of blue, green, red or yellow… even the white is not just white. Annouk Thys presents a world that is constantly changing, where we sometimes lose something and sometimes can keep everything.

Els Wuyts