Els Dietvorst
©image: Flor Maesen
° 1964
Born in Kapellen (BE).
Els Dietvorst (°1964) is a socially engaged artist, who uses her visual work as a means of creating social involvement. She graduates from the Sint Lucas School of Arts in Antwerp and holds a Master of Fine Art from the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. Dietvorst lives and works in Ireland since 2010.
Even in her socially focussed work, Dietvorst finds ways of expressing herself in a highly personal manner, making use of an incredibly wide range of media; along with sculptures and installations, drawing, writing and recently through the creation of visual installations. Her work is focussed on the myriad forms of social communication and interpersonal relationships and conflicts, which she expresses in striking social-artistic projects, such as De Terugkeer van de Zwaluwen [The Return of the Swallows] in Brussels’ Anneessenswijk. The position of the outsider is something Dietvorst specifically focuses on, directing her gaze – sometimes over the span of several years – towards those persons and events that would otherwise go unnoticed. At any given moment she can be found collecting these types of snippets and fragments, assembling them in her pieces. This isn't necessarily to point out injustice, rather her purpose is to personally develop an understanding, to keep track of the bigger picture, and contextualise different events. Her summaries of reality are a visual archive, serving as both mirror and a chamber for reflection.
Her sculptures too, − crafted from perishable materials such as wood and loam − direct the gaze towards social circumstances such as war, famine and the refugee issue. This is how, for example, the “Skulls” series was created. The skulls allude to the violence of war, but also point towards the existential experience of dying, a process shared and suffered by all.
>Els Dietvorst, Sappho (Daughters of Zeus), 1988.Print, woodcut; ink on paper, 108 x 75.5 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Sappho (Daughters of Zeus), 1988.Print, woodcut; ink on paper, 105 x 75 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Veronika Pot, Beast, 1993-1994.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth, variable dimensions.
>Els Dietvorst, Lust, ik haat je, trek niet meer, mijn hart splijt open, 1993.Print, etching, dry needle on paper, framed 81.3 x 61.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Veronika Pot, Meir - As voor Kunst, 1996.Book, ink, paper, 42 x 29.5 cm, language : Dutch, publisher : KMSK Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten & ICC/Internationaal Cultureel Centrum, Antwerpen.
>Els Dietvorst, Bunker, 1998.Sculpture, loam, wood.
>Els Dietvorst, Mandrake, Manhole, Bunker, Trou, 1998-2019.Drawing, red-black ink on the wall, in situ.
>Els Dietvorst, Skull 1, 1999.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth.
>Els Dietvorst, Orla Barry , Els Dietvorst & Orla Barry 'De Terugkeer van de Zwaluwen - Le Retour des Hirondelles - The Return of the Swallows' (Zwaluwenmagazine), 1999-2005.Periodical, ink on paper, 5 nummers: ill. ; 39,7 x 29,6 cm .
>Els Dietvorst, Tante Paula beentjes [Aunty Paula Legs], 2000.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth.
>Els Dietvorst, De denker en het ei, 2000.Sculpture, wood, loam, jute, variabel.
>Els Dietvorst, Pereman, 2000.Sculpture, loam.
>Els Dietvorst, Sensation (videoloop 'Illusions'), 2000.Video, mini dv (colour, sound), 00:10:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Drunken Morning (videoloop 'Illusions'), 2000.Poster, 00:10:00.
>Els Dietvorst, The Prince (videoloop 'Illusions'), 2000.Poster, 00:10:00.
>Els Dietvorst, The Banker's Head, 2000.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth.
>Els Dietvorst, Orla Barry , The Scavenger's Daughter & White Pompei, 2000.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth.
>Els Dietvorst, Orla Barry , Jan Braet, No Shooting, 2000.Book, ink on paper, 16.5 x 20 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Song for the Price of a Goat 1, 2000.Video, mini dv (colour, sound), 00:10:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Geel, 2001.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth, metal wire, straw, variable dimensions.
>Els Dietvorst, Engel [Angel], 2001.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth.
>Els Dietvorst, Giant's Feet, 2001.Video, mini dv, 00:10:00.
> Panamarenko, Jan Hoet, Dieter De Vlieghere, Els Dietvorst, Yellow (Tentoonstelling over Actuele Kunst en Psychiatrie), 2001.Book, ink, paper, 24.5 x 17 cm, 93 p, language : Dutch, English, publisher : Openbaar Psychiatrisch Ziekenhuis (OPZ)/Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Geel/Beerse, ISBN : 90-805595-3-9.
>Els Dietvorst, Vive la Démocracie, 2002.Video, digital file, 00:60:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Zonder titel [Untitled], 2002.Drawing, red ink on paper, 24 x 32.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Act One, 2002.Video, mini dv, 00:02:00.
>Els Dietvorst, After the Flood [Na de zondvloed, Aprés le déluge], 2002.Video, digital file (colour, sound), 01:05:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Mandrake, Manhole, Bunker, Trou, 2003.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16 x 12.5 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Het Laatste Beeld, 2004.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth.
>Els Dietvorst, Zonder titel [Untitled], 2004.Drawing, red ink on paper, 24.2 x 32.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Zonder titel [Untitled], 2004.Drawing, red ink on paper, 24.6 x 32.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Mandrake, Manhole, Bunker, Trou, 2004.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16.1 x 12 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Crying Tree, 2004.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 23.7 x 32.1 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Crying Tree, 2004.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 32 x 24 cm.
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>Els Dietvorst, Crying Tree, 2004.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 12 x 16.6 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Crying Tree, 2004.Drawing, black ink on paper, 12 x 16.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Cahier 2. Els Dietvorst / Ralf Bas: Hoe stichtend is een gesticht? Een utopische gedachtenwisseling over het opsluiten van delinquente jongeren door Ralf Bas en Els Dietvorst., 2004.Book, ink on paper, 23.4 x 18 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, E.D., 2004.Book, ink on paper, 24.2 x 18.7 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Koningskinderen, 2004.Book, ink on paper, 21.5 x 15.5 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Koningskinderen , 2004.Video, mini dv (colour, sound), 00:38:34.
>Els Dietvorst, Song for the Price of a Goat 2, 2005.Video, mini dv (colour, sound), 00:40:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Outdoors, 2006.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth, series of 3 sculptures.
>Els Dietvorst, Libera Me, 2006-2007.Video, 16 mm film, 00:01:47.
>Els Dietvorst, Skull 2, 2008.Installation, metal, wood, loam, pigeons.
>Dirk Braeckman, Els Dietvorst, Time Is A Book (Time Festival), 2009.Book, ink on paper, 34 x 24,5 cm, 34 p..
>Els Dietvorst, A Walk with ACM, 2009.Video, digital file, 00:15:00.
>Els Dietvorst, As Long as the Blackbird Sings, 2009.Video, mini dv (colour, sound), 00:29:13.
>Els Dietvorst, The Pheasant Plucker's Wife, 2010.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16 x 12.2 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, The Pheasant Plucker's Wife, 2010.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16.1 x 12.2 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, First Impressions, 2011-2012.Video, digital file, 00:05:00.
>Els Dietvorst, The Pheasant Plucker's Wife, 2011.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 23.9 x 32.2 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, The Black Lamb, 2011-2014.Video, digital file (colour, sound).
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>Els Dietvorst, Zonder titel [Untitled], 2013.Drawing, red ink on paper, 15 x 12 cm (framed; 47.5 x 39.5 cm).
>Els Dietvorst, The Pheasant Plucker's Wife, 2014.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16.1 x 12.1 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Fox , 2014.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16.9 x 12.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, E.D. (2010-2014), 2014.Book, ink on paper.
>Els Dietvorst, The Rabbit and the Teasel , 2014.Video, digital file, 00:52:40.
>Els Dietvorst, Skull 3, 2015.Sculpture, wood, loam.
>Els Dietvorst, Driftwood, 2015.Sculpture, wood.
>Els Dietvorst, I Watched the White Dogs of the Dawn, 2016.Video, digital file (colour, sound).
>Els Dietvorst, Ik ga naar mijn kippen [I'm going to my chickens], 2016.Text.
>Els Dietvorst, I Watched the White Dogs of the Dawn, 2018.Video, digital file (colour, sound), 00:52:25.
>Els Dietvorst, Stigmata, 2018.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16 x 11.9 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Me, 2019.Print, woodcut; ink on paper, 32 x 24 cm - (woodblock: 18 x 13.5 cm).
>Els Dietvorst, The Black Lamb, 2019.Print, woodcut; ink on paper, 16 x 12 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, ACM Lost and Found*, 2019.Video, digital file, 00:24:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Drijfhout [Driftwood], 2019.Text.
>Els Dietvorst, The Dance of the Thatcher, 2019.Video, digital file, 00:40:00.
>Els Dietvorst, *Dooltocht / A desperate quest to find a base for hope, 2019.Drawing, bister on simili japon, 63.5 x 70.5 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Ur / C'est de la Babylone, 2019.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16.7 x 12.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Ur / C'est de la Babylone, 2019.Drawing, red-black ink on simili japon, 16.5 x 12.3 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Swallow Landscape [Zwaluwenlandschap], 2019.Video, mini dv (colour, sound), 00:40:00.
>Els Dietvorst, Ur / C'est de la Babylone, 2019.Sculpture, loam, wood, sackcloth, variable dimensions.
>Els Dietvorst, Mud, 2019.Print, woodcut; ink on paper, 48 x 32 cm - (woodblock: 26.5 x 20.5 cm).
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>Els Dietvorst, Memento Mori! !iroM otnemeM, 2019.Video, 01:15:00.
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>Els Dietvorst, The Guardians, 2020.Sculpture, driftwood, beeswax, 3 x.
>Els Dietvorst, Coastal Shrine, 2020.Sculpture.
>Els Dietvorst, Tempel, 2020.Photography.
>Els Dietvorst, Els Dietvorst, 2020.Book, ink, paper, 20.5 x 14.6 cm, 143 p., language : English, publisher : M HKA, Antwerp, ISBN : 9789072828675, separate booklet with Dutch translations.
>Els Dietvorst, Save Me , 2020.Sculpture, wood, 30 x 16.5 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Hug Me, 2020.Sculpture, wood, 34 x 21 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Now!, 2020.Installation.
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>Els Dietvorst, Now!, 2020.Sculpture.
>Els Dietvorst, The wound is bleeding 1, 2021.Drawing, watercolour with homemade charcoal soaked in beetroot juice and tea, 76 x 51 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!, 2021.Sculpture, driftwood, beeswax and stones, 90 x 30 x 36 cm.
>Els Dietvorst, Windswept, 2021.Sculpture, bronze.
>Els Dietvorst, Shelter, 2023.Sculpture, loam.
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>Els Dietvorst, Blood Drawing.Other, mp4, 00:06:15.
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>Els Dietvorst, Candle Song.Other, mp4, 00:08:15.
>Els Dietvorst, One was killed for beauty, the other one was shot, the two others died naturally.Sculpture, variable dimensions.
>Els Dietvorst, Lifted Skull. Proposal for Skull4..Drawing, ink on paper.
Exhibitions & Ensembles
> Exhibition: Art - Coeur - Merci: ACM & Els Dietvorst. 14 November 2009 - 10 January 2010.
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> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst. 07 November 2015 - 28 February 2016.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - Before the flood. 06 October 2001 - 21 October 2001.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - Dooltocht I A desperate quest to find a base for hope. 07 February 2020 - 30 August 2020.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - Driftwood. 16 January 2016 - 26 February 2016.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst / Firefly - The March, The Burden, The Desert, The Boredom, The Anger . 07 May 2004 - 11 May 2004.
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> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - Kwartier West. 02 May 1999 - 06 June 1999.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst – Maquette: Skull 2. 23 May 2008 - 14 September 2008.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - MuHKA_media: videogasten . .
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - No shooting. 16 May 2000 - 02 July 2000.
> Exhibition: Els Dietvorst - No shooting, the originals . 30 October 2000 - 16 November 2000.
> Exhibition: EXTRA MUROS: Geel – Middle Gate II – The Story of Dymphna. 15 September 2018 - 04 November 2018.
> Exhibition: Lipstick and Gas Masks – The City Collection Antwerp. 13 February 2021 - 18 April 2021.
> Exhibition: Mandrake, Manhole, Bunker, Trou . 15 May 1998 - 30 June 1998.
> Exhibition: MuHKA en Firefly: weekend met een overzicht van het werk van Els Dietvorst. 24 September 2004 - 29 September 2004.
> Exhibition: STONES, STICKS and SAND. 07 May 2021 - 26 June 2021.
> Exhibition: The Collection. 28 April 2017 - 31 December 2021.
> Exhibition: Visite Roeselare – The Green Line. 05 May 2016 - 19 June 2016.
> Exhibition: Wintrum Frod. 06 July 2019 - 03 November 2019.
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> Ensemble: An Architecture for Art - Els Dietvorst.
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> Ensemble: AUDIOVISUELE WERKEN [AUDIOVISUAL WORKS].
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> Ensemble: Boeken & Catalogi [Books & Catalogues].
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> Ensemble: CREATIEVE DOCUMENTAIRES [CREATIVE DOCUMENTARIES].
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> Ensemble: DE TERUGKEER VAN DE ZWALUWEN [THE RETURN OF THE SWALLOWS].
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> Ensemble: DIALOOG PROJECTEN MET VIDEO NEERSLAG [ VIDEO DIALOGUES ].
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> Ensemble: DRIFTWOOD SCULPTURES.
> Ensemble: GEWELD | VIOLENCE.
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> Ensemble: GRAFIEK [PRINTS].
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> Ensemble: LOAM SCULPTURES [LEMEN BEELDEN].
> Ensemble: M HKA_DEFAULT_PUBLICATIONS.
> Ensemble: Middle Gate.
> Ensemble: NUCLEUS.
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> Ensemble: PUBLICATIES [PUBLICATIONS].
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> Ensemble: PUBLICATIES [PUBLICATIONS].
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> Ensemble: PUBLIC SCULPTURES.
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> Ensemble: SKULL series.
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> Ensemble: SOUND PIECES [GELUIDSINSTALLATIES].
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> Ensemble: TEKENINGEN [DRAWINGS].
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> Ensemble: THEATRE.
> Ensemble: The City Collection / De Stadscollectie / La collection municipale.
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> Ensemble: WEB DOCUMENTARIES [WEB DOCUMENTAIRES].