Born in Antwerp in 1941 and a member of Magnum Photos since 1982, Harry Gruyaert revolutionized the creative and experimental use of color photography throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Influenced by cinema and American photographers, Gruyaert forged a new visual language—an emotive, non-narrative, and boldly graphic way of perceiving the world through color.
In 1972, while living in London, Gruyaert produced the striking series TV Shots by turning the dial of a television set at random and photographing the distorted images that emerged. This early work exemplified his fascination with abstraction and chance. Later, his series Made in Belgium explores his complex, ambivalent relationship with his homeland, rendered in a palette of deeply saturated tones.
Always evolving, Gruyaert’s most recent work embraces the possibilities offered by digital photography, pushing creative boundaries further to capture light in innovative and unexpected ways.
Gruyaert’s images stand as autonomous works, often detached from any narrative or thematic constraint. This retrospective, the first of its kind, presents a superb overview of his lifelong pursuit of freedom of expression and sensory liberation—offering viewers an immersive journey into the vibrant world as seen through Gruyaert’s unique lens.
