GODS ARMY
Folkert de Jong is known for his life-size sculptural groups made of Styrofoam and polyurethane foam, used as insulation in construction, architecture, and set design for the Hollywood film industry. With this atypical material for art, derived from the petrochemical industry, De Jong creates remarkably complex tableaus of grotesque worlds that depict power, violence, disaster, and other disturbing aspects of the human condition. Intrigued by the depths of the human soul, the artist draws the viewer into this world where the bizarre and the vulnerable converge. His work often evokes art historical associations alongside contemporary political issues and current concerns, with a sense of a post-apocalyptic future. Over the years, Folkert de Jong’s sculptures have become more technically virtuosic and painterly. His sculptural groups seem to emerge effortlessly from the material. The first sculptures appear rough and unfinished. They are usually monochrome blue and pink, the colors of the Styrofoam material itself. Later, De Jong introduced a richer color palette into his works and cleverly combined figuration, abstraction, and symbols. The figures are often life-size, giving the viewer the opportunity to relate to the sculptures and feel like they are witnessing the compelling, often ominous scenes.
Folkert de Jong was born in Alkmaar in 1972 and grew up in Egmond aan Zee, on the North Sea coast. After high school, he began studying nursing in Alkmaar at the age of 18. After abandoning his nursing studies, he moved to Amsterdam in 1992 to study crafts and art history in a teacher training program, graduating in 1996. He was largely self-taught as an artist and applied in 1998 to the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam, from which he graduated at the end of 1999.
After that, he participated in several international artist residencies, including the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York City from 2004 to 2005. From that point on, and continuing to this day, De Jong has further developed his international artistic career, collaborating with galleries worldwide. He lives and works in Amsterdam with his wife, the artist Delphine Courtillot, and their two children, Odilon and Cornelia.