M HKA Ensembles

Mixed Media, elk 44.5 x 32.1 cm.

Collection: Collectie M HKA, Antwerpen / Collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap (Inv. no. BK006184).

The thin line between ‘normal’ and ‘deviation’ is what characterises Danny Devos’ performative practice as an artist. One basis of his practice is based around the schizoid personality. We understand from psychological profiling that some deviant personalities tend towards emotional detachment, secretiveness and social apathy, whilst also creating rich and idiosyncratic internal worlds. Such personalities include to a heavy degree: inventors, scientists, criminals, religious thinkers, and also artists. Devos has maintained correspondence with convicted serial killers since the mid-1980s, to gain a deeper understanding of their motives. It has led to several works referencing criminals and their crimes. Devos exchanged letters with Michel B. – the so called ‘Wurger van de Linkeroever’ (‘Strangler of the Left Bank’), which led to this work. For Wurger van de Linkeroever – 1, he took articles from four different Belgian newspapers about the case of B., blocking out the other articles on the page. For Wurger van de Linkeroever – 2, he created a series of six metal objects with photos and fragments of correspondence between himself and B.