Kurt Demey (Schoten, 6 June 1974) is a Belgian theatre maker and artist with a background in circus. Since the mid-1990s he has created shows in which visual dramaturgy, magic and mentalism take centre stage.
Visual reference
From visual art to circus
Demey trained in visual art, focusing on performance installations and spatial design, and developed an interest in physical and performative art forms. Through artistic research involving tightrope walking and juggling, he immersed himself in circus disciplines and movement theatre.
He trained at, among others, the Kay Fou circus school, the Antwerp Mimestudio and Espace Catastrophe in Brussels, and from 2006 to 2008 followed the Formation supérieure d'art en espace public at FAI-AR in Marseille.
La Magie Nouvelle
Since the 1990s, Demey has created projects and shows such as Poëziekeuken, Baldakijns, Hamish and Flamish and Gevleugelde Aarde. In 2002 he founded Gevleugelde Stad, an initiative that gave young artists a stage in the street-theatre circuit.
In 2007 he founded the non-profit Rode Boom, within which he develops shows where magic and mentalism are used as dramaturgical means rather than mere entertainment — within the movement of contemporary magic, also known as La Magie Nouvelle.
International work and television
Productions by Rode Boom were presented in Belgium and internationally, including in France, Denmark, Croatia, Morocco and on La Réunion, at festivals and in cultural institutions.
Demey appeared on the VRT programme Wonder boven wonder, which focuses on contemporary forms of magic, and took part in Belgium's Got Talent. His work has been awarded several times at street and circus festivals.
Kurt Demey proved that magic can grow into fully fledged art theatre. You will recognise that same daring to approach magic as an art form in the work of Sudesh Roman.