Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys

Sant'Andrea de Scaphis, Rome

Gavin Brown's Enterprise

A photograph showing a street corner at night. Light comes out of the windows and open door of a pale gray building with crumbling plaster on the corner. Street lights cast yellow light outside.

A sign above the door of a grey building with crumbling plaster reads, "I Piccoli Pupazzi Sporchi di Pruppà". The sign is white with black cursive script. The door below the sign is open, leading to a brightly lit space beyond.

Another view of a grey building at night. Light floods from an upper story window as well as the open ground floor door, which is wide open to the street.

A view of the gray building from further down the street. On our right is a small restaurant with tables and chairs set out on the street under awnings and lights. Further down the street, past the gray building, cars are parked. No one is out and the street is empty.

A tighter view of the facade of the gray building with a sign above the door. The sign reads, "I Piccoli Pupazzi Sporchi di Pruppà". The door is black and and only two thirds opens up onto a brightly lit space beyond. The black door is framed by thick white molding. Above the molding of the doorframe, a horizontal white bar separates the first and second stories of the building. The white sign with the title of the show is hung above the door on the second story between two windows.

A view from above into a large old building. The walls and floor are worn and the plaster is crumbling in places. Some of the bricks in the floor are missing and have been replaced by concrete patches. Centered on the back wall is something like an alter, striped of decoration. Two columns of yellow stone remain going up towards the ceiling. Along the walls of the room, small dark shelves provide a place for a doll or a small group of dolls to stand.

Another installation view showing the interior of the church/exhibition space. The photograph is taken from a lower angle, what appears to be an average human's standing height. Centered at the back is the old alter with columns going up to a portico. Around the walls of the room are small floating shelves staggered in layers. Each small shelf provides a platform for a doll or small group of dolls. The walls are rough; we can see large parts of chipped stucco and exposed brick.

A tighter image of the alter with columns leading up to a white portico at the back of the church/exhibition space. The lower half of the wall behind the alter has chipped stucco and exposed brick. Toward the bottom third of the wall, layers of small shelves float at staggered heights. Each small shelf provides a place for a doll or small grouping of dolls to stand.

Another installation view of the back of the church angled so we are looking towards the corner on our right, next to the alter. The image shows a round design in the floor pavers before the alter. Some of the bricks are missing and have been patched with concrete. Toward the bottom third of the wall, layers of small shelves float at staggered heights. Each small shelf provides a place for a doll or small grouping of dolls to stand.

A view of one of the walls of the space. The plaster has chipped away in places, revealing the old brick underneath. Many indents in the wall show places where sconces or features have been removed leaving holes. Toward the bottom third of the wall, layers of small shelves float at staggered heights. Each small shelf provides a place for a doll or small grouping of dolls to stand.

Another view of the walls of the space. The plaster has chipped away in places, revealing the old brick underneath. Many indents in the wall show places where sconces or features have been removed leaving holes. Toward the bottom third of the wall, layers of small shelves float at staggered heights. Each small shelf provides a place for a doll or small grouping of dolls to stand.

Another view of a corner of the space near a yellow door. Layers of small wooden shelves float at staggered heights. Each small shelf provides a place for a doll or small grouping of dolls to stand.

Another view of a corner of the space near a yellow door. Layers of small wooden shelves float at staggered heights on a peeling plaster wall with brick beneath. Each small shelf provides a place for a doll or small grouping of dolls to stand.

A tighter view of a peeling plaster and brick wall with small floating shelves at staggered heights. Each shelf provides a platform for a small doll or pair of dolls to stand. Each doll is made out of rough materials, jute, straw, hair and fabric scraps.

A tighter view of a a corner of a peeling plaster and brick wall with small floating shelves at staggered heights. Each shelf provides a platform for a small doll or pair of dolls to stand. Each doll is made out of rough materials, jute, straw, hair and fabric scraps.

Another, tighter view of a corner of a peeling plaster and brick wall with small floating shelves at staggered heights. Each shelf provides a platform for a small doll or pair of dolls to stand. Each doll is made out of rough materials, jute, straw, hair and fabric scraps.

Another view of a corner of a peeling plaster and brick wall with small floating shelves at staggered heights. Each shelf provides a platform for a small doll or pair of dolls to stand. Each doll is made out of rough materials, jute, straw, hair and fabric scraps.

A tighter view of a doll on a small shelf. The doll's body is made of jute or rough burlap. On its head there is a straw hat and the doll is wearing blue underwear bottoms. Dirt seems to be coming out of the pores of the jute. The dolls head and upper body are looking down.

A tighter view of a doll on a small shelf. The doll's body is made of jute or rough burlap but the raw jute can only be seen on the legs and face. This doll/puppet is wearing shorts, a shirt and a long blue coat. Long brown hair falls from a face without features to their waist.

A small doll or puppet on a brown shelf mounted to a peeling plaster wall. The body of this doll is made of jute or burlap. White hair floats from its head and they're wearing a magenta dress with holes and tears. Their face is blank jute and has no features.

A small doll or puppet on a brown shelf mounted to a peeling plaster wall. The body of this doll is made of jute or burlap. The puppet is wearing a dirty green suit. A long brown beard covers part of their face. The same hair material is used on their head and also on their face for an impression of eyes.

A puppet standing on a brown shelf. Their body is almost completely covered in clothes. A blue cape is covered by a torn plastic scarf or wrap. Long orange hair covers face and neck and shoulders. Over the hair, a green, purple, pink and black beanie is worn.

A jute doll/puppet on a small brown shelf. The doll is wearing an enveloping black dress or cloak. Their rough jute hands emerge from folds of black fabric. Their face is covered by a black veil.

A jute doll on a small brown shelf. The doll is wearing a dark blue shirt, rounded at the stomach where a rounded belly peaks out from a tear in the shirt. The shirt has sloping shoulders and the the dolls arms are at it's sides. Tears in light blue pants have been repaired with straw or jute colored thread. The figure has fluffy brown hair and is looking downwards.

A jute doll on a small shelf. This figure has long orange hair, a furry vest and jeans with tares repaired with jute thread.

A pair of puppets on a shelf. On our left is a taller figure made of jute. It looks to be wearing a torn bathing suit or body suit with small black and white stripes. A bow or head scarf of the same fabric frames a poof of orange hair. The body of the doll is made of jute and seems to be exuding dirt through its pores. On our right, we can see a figure with torn turquoise pants, a head scarf and the impression of eyes with two black smudges.

A jute doll with torn black pants and a torn plaid shirt. They are wearing a tan beanie. Their dark beard floats around their face.

A jute puppet in blue underwear pants. On their head is a straw hat. Dirt seems to be exuding from the pores of the jute. The dolls head and upper body are looking down.

A jute puppet in a long black dress with tears that reveal red fabric underneath. The dress has a V neck and long white sleeves. A black smudge gives the impression of a mouth surrounded by floating brown hair.

A jute puppet in a dirty black skirt and a boxy cropped shirt. Brown, jute colored hair comes out from a dark hat with a fold over brim. The puppet seems to be leaning to our left as if unbalanced on it's shelf.

Two jute puppets on a shelf. On our left the larger figure wears dirty jeans. Brown hair grows out of their chest and arms and around their face as a beard. On our right, a shorter puppet wears torn shorts and light brown hair grows out of the jute on their feet and chest and head.

A puppet standing on a brown shelf. Their body is almost completely covered in clothes. A blue cape is covered by a torn plastic scarf or wrap. Long orange hair covers face and neck and shoulders. Over the hair, we can see a green, purple, pink and black beanie.

A group of three jute puppets on a shelf. On our left a figure in torn olive green pants and shirt. In the middle, stands the tallest and widest figure wearing a leopard print caftan. They have fluffy white hair that covers their face and head. On our right is a tall, thin puppet in jeans. Dirt seems to be exuding from its torso.

A jute puppet in torn blue pants and shirt. They have a red feather boa around one shoulder and black hair coming out of a black hat.

Jos de Gruyter & Harald ThysI Piccoli Pupazzi Sporchi di PruppàSant'Andrea de Scaphis, Rome

Exhibition Images

Jos de Gruyter & Harald ThysI Piccoli Pupazzi Sporchi di Pruppà
Sant'Andrea de Scaphis, Rome