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Folkert de Jong, “The Holy Land”

  • Art, Sculpture
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
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Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

Hailing from the Netherlands, De Jong often refers to historical subjects, deconstructing them within vaguely menacing sculptural tableaus of figures and objects—all of it created in a style that might be labeled bad-boy baroque. His works are charged with a playfully creepy undercurrent, making you feel as if you’ve stumbled into the Addams Family attic. In the past, De Jong has utilized materials ranging from plastic to Styrofoam, but for this show, cast bronze has been brought to the party along with mixed-media elements and colored Plexiglas vitrines. In many cases, the bronzes are based on suits of ancient armor belonging to Henry VIII and were created by scanning the actual items in 3-D. Digital laser-cutting machines then made carvings out of Styrofoam blocks that were later turned into chromatically patinated sculptures.

The armor pieces capture the Tudor monarch at various points in his life, from a youthful stud to an aging, overweight beast. De Jong has kept the excess metal that cooled in the pouring sprues, letting them sprout from heads, backs, arms and legs like spiny exoskeletons. Two other bronzes, Babel’s Maze and Spiritual Generator, incorporate aggregates of similarly scanned and cast items (including guns, bowler hats, coffee cups and balloons), piled into theatrically threatening displays.

The plastic cases contain figures made of pigmented polyurethane—among them a spectral, hooded presence evoking the Grim Reaper. They’re also surrounded by junk like electric fans and spray cans that seem to reference both home and studio. Ultimately, De Jong’s title evokes less of a place than the destination for a crusade, winding its way past life’s dead ends.—Paul Laster

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