Domesticated Animals
Charles Degeyter
At the request of the City of Ghent, Charles Degeyter created a work of art about intrafamily violence for the Light Festival.
Degeyter started making silkscreen printed posters for bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails and Wheezer when he was about 18 years old. He experimented with different types of ink and materials to push the medium to its limits and discovered the special impact of phosphorescent inks along the way.
This mural entitled “Domesticated Animals” is his first large-format experiment with light. It draws our attention to children and youngsters, who are often involved in interfamily violence. His work is characterised by its direct approach, interspersed with apparently playful details that nevertheless confront the spectators with the harsh reality. It is no coincidence that the phosphorescent paint makes the work more visible after school hours.
The location of the work, a school building, was also deliberately chosen to create an even bigger impact. The image literally highlights an issue that often remains under the radar and triggers further dialogue within the Ghent community.