The Hero, the Villain and the Truth | Folkert de Jong

Can historical figures such as Luther, Mary and Jesus, Snoop Dogg and Queen Wilhelmina provide us with insight into history? In The Hero, the Villain and the Truth Folkert de Jong lets life-size styrofoam statues show 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.