Work in progress: Mickey Yang and Katrein Breukers

There's always plenty of work in progress in Eindhoven Design District. This edition we go to De Fabriek, were we talk to artists Katrein Breukers and Mickey Yang. 20 December 2019 will be the opening of the exhibition that's inspired by their trip to Morocco. 

How do you know each other?

Mickey: "We met in the kitchen of the European Ceramic Work Centre in Oisterwijk. I had a break from my masterclass 'making molds'."
Katrein: "I was there for a work period of three months. In turn, a resident provided food for the day. I was just handling twenty pans on the stove when Mickey came in." 

What binds you?

Mickey: "What we learned from that first ‘kitchen talk’ is that we both find traditional crafts interesting. The DIY mentality in its archetypal form."
Katrein: "I think it has to do with a fascination for self-sufficiency."
Mickey: "YouTube tutorials of men trying to survive in the forest, for example. We both turned out to be able to enjoy this genre immensely." 

And now you're making a work together for the first time?

Katrein: "We had the opportunity to work on an exhibition in De Fabriek in November and December."
Mickey: "Katrein lives in Rotterdam and I live in The Hague, but currently we are working and sleeping in this building. Quite intense. The exhibition should take shape in the coming weeks. The enormous hall of De Fabriek is a kind of play area. What's great is that we always react to each other's work and try new things." 

Amazigh will be an exhibition based on a trip to Morocco?

Katrein: "Inspired by folklore, storytelling, cultures, crafts and traditions, we wanted to meet local craftsmen and artists. To discover Moroccan traditions in relation to their visual and material culture."
Mickey: "The craftsmen we met were very proud of their specializations and workshops. They were also very hospitable. In these workshops we saw the art of improvisation and how to be creative with your resources. I also recall how visible and present the making process is in the streetscape."
Katrein: "We communicated with locals without speaking each other’s language. The whole journey was actually one big confusion. What exactly are you looking at? You're trying to understand." 

Did you succeed?

Katrein: "For us, the confusion is about wanting to understand a country that you only visit as a tourist. You don't always know how to distinguish sincerity and authenticity from tourist adaptations."
Mickey: "The password in our hostel was 'Amazigh88888888'. A spelling mistake, that's your first thought."
Katrein: “It turned out to be the name for the original nomadic inhabitants. Here in De Fabriek we hope to bring back some of that confusion and misinterpretations, but also the creativity and amazement.”
Mickey: "When you walk into the building of De Fabriek, we hope to convey a kind of 'medina experience'. We want to make our work accessible, by letting you experience the work. You can walk around here, try and taste new things." 

What does Eindhoven mean to you?

Mickey: "It's great that the city contributes by giving artists and designers more visibility. We notice that there is a culture of creators here that helps each other easily. I also think it's very good that you're making this series of narrative interviews about 'Work in Progress', I like to watch and think along with others in their creative process too."
Katrein: "It also feels quite vulnerable, you know. To let people in if you're still in the middle of your creative process." 

Hoe kunnen we jullie helpen?

Mickey: "We are looking for a magician!"
Katrein: "Someone who can give a performance here during the opening on 20 December." 

Want to share your work in progress?

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