Folkert de Jong - The Hero, the Villain and the Truth
Brutus - Rotterdam 26.01 - 31.03.2024
"The Hero, the Villain and the Truth" is a theatrical exhibition of the life-size styrofoam statues of Folkert de Jong. With twisted versions of historical figures such as Luther, Jesus and Mary, Snoop Dogg, Queen Wilhelmina and Zeeuws Meisje, the artist shows how history comes around, and could have gone differently. In the exhibition, De Jong’s work is staged with challenging audio narratives and theatrical lighting, providing the sculptures with meaning and interpretation. Prominent authors such as Abdelkader Benali, Maxine Palit de Jongh, Roziena Salihu and Elfie Tromp wrote the stories. Folkert de Jong is praised for his virtuosity as a sculptor and his brilliant expression of human madness. In The Hero, the Villain and the Truth, De Jong gives the viewer a creative and visual history lesson that turns out to be as joyful as it is grim. The artist plays with history: he reverses roles, makes contemporary problems appear in the past and historical events unfold differently than we are used to. The Hero, the Villain and the Truth is initiated by curator Johan Idema.The exhibition is made possible by Mondriaan Fonds, Fonds 21, BNG Cultuurfonds, Stichting SEC, het Cultuurfonds Zuid-Holland, Stichting Stokroos, Stichting Volkskracht/Jurriaanse Stichting, Elise Mathilde Fonds, De Gijselaar-Hintzenfonds and Stichting Gifted Art.More information: https://brutus.nl/en/programme/current/the+hero+the+villain+and+the+truth/