Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys Install Four Dogs in a Mercedes at Ordet Milan

Belgian duo Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys present a new installation at Ordet in Milan, transforming the gallery into a garage. At the center sits a dark Mercedes with four anthropomorphized German shepherd dogs wearing black lace-trimmed robes, evoking old-fashioned maids. The work, titled "I quattro dal benzinaio" (The Four at the Gas Station), borrows its name from a 1930s German operetta. Two excerpts from Beethoven's Seventh Symphony play from the car's dashboard, heightening the uncanny atmosphere. The artists, known for their 36-year practice spanning video, performance, photography, installation, sculpture, and mannequins, previously represented Belgium at the 2019 Venice Biennale with "Mondo Cane," featuring two collections of mannequins depicting everyday workers and the mentally ill. Their Milan installation continues their exploration of unease and irony, leaving viewers uncertain whether the dogs are pursuers or pursued.