Prinsengracht 282, 1016 HJ, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Open: Wed-Sat 12-6pm, Sun 12-5pm
Artist: Folkert de Jong
Galerie Ron Mandos presents The Party, Folkert de Jong’s first solo exhibition at the gallery, opening during Amsterdam Art Week. Known for his theatrical sculptures that expose the darker side of power, history, and human nature, De Jong presents a new body of work that departs from his earlier practice, using acrylic plaster, neon and pastel pigments and a range of materials new to him. In The Party, a celebration appears carefully staged, yet behind the festive setting another reality gradually comes into view.
De Jong has long been fascinated by the way big world problems originate in the smallest, most domestic settings; The Party provides the stage for this idea. What at first glance looks like a colorful celebration, reveals on closer inspection, the underlying relationships and discomfort. The Party comments on secrets and power dynamics that hide behind the appearance of a perfect family.
De Jong is best known for his use of Styrofoam and polyurethane foam, materials that are already colored. For his new sculptures, he also works with acrylic plaster, a material that is naturally white. By adding pigments, he creates his own palette of bright neon and soft pastel colors. The same colors associated with joy and celebration also suggest something toxic, urgent or even faintly biohazardous, creating a tension that runs throughout the exhibition: why do we find ourselves attracted to what should probably worry us. He also works with a whole range of materials that are new to him, such as thin foil like the wrapping around presents or chocolates, a nod to the party theme.
The new works feature figures standing on baroque chairs, including a woman in a dress and combat boots. Her appearance suggests both elegance and rebellion. De Jong also casts cakes, bread and other foods directly into wall reliefs, building on his longstanding fascination with illusion. What looks soft and familiar from a distance is in fact cast in acrylic plaster and other non-edible materials. Through these works, De Jong questions the familiar rituals of gathering and sharing food, revealing how celebrations can also bring discomfort and pressure to meet expectations.
De Jong has staged the exhibition as a journey through the gallery. Bright figures greet visitors at the entrance, but the deeper one walks into the space, the more the festivity loses its shine. In a separate room, at the back of the gallery, a selection of earlier sculptures from De Jong’s archive is on view, offering a rare glimpse into the development of his work over the past three decades.
“I like to play with the idea that the visual aspects are at odds with what is really going on. On the outside you see bright colors that stimulate the senses. But underneath, something else is happening.”— Folkert de Jong
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