Life-size sculptural groups made of Styrofoam and polyurethane foam lie at the heart of the twenty-five years of work by Folkert de Jong, now 50 years old. These materials are commonly used in construction, architecture, and scenography. With these means, De Jong creates complex living tableaux of grotesque worlds that address themes of power, violence, catastrophe, and the uncomfortable aspects of the human condition. Intrigued by the depths of the human soul, the artist draws the viewer into his personal universe, where the bizarre and the vulnerable converge.
In his work, Folkert de Jong frequently references history (and art history), combining these with contemporary social and political issues, while also incorporating the cinematic universe of underground films. The overall result is a post-apocalyptic perspective. Through the use of Styrofoam—alternating between pale blue and pale pink—and polyurethane foam—light yellow—De Jong’s sculptures possess a highly specific chromatic character. At a later stage, the artist also began painting the foam in other colors, but blue and pink tones remain dominant. At first glance, the works appear rough and unfinished, yet upon closer inspection they are rich in detail which, even when remaining sketch-like, testify to great precision. De Jong fully relies on the power of suggestion. As the figures are generally life-size, often even using the artist himself as a model, the viewer can identify with them and become absorbed in the scenes unfolding before them.
In his interview with Melchior Jaspers, De Jong states:
“I feel a physical urgency to create something, something that emanates from my body and my mind, and that I then want to offer to the public. This struggle is a conflict. I have an idea and a sensation of a work, and I want to express it with my hands. I want these hands to be able to work as freely and intuitively as possible, while, on the other hand, maintaining control over what the work is about and how it looks. For me, artistic creation begins with an idea or a plan. Then I start making. In this process, there comes a moment when I no longer know what is taking shape. This is a necessary moment, one that enhances the final work. By losing control, I enter a kind of ‘creative flow.’ I have never completed a project by blindly following a drawing.”