Remy Jungerman – Crossing TheWater
The work of Surinamese-Dutch artist Remy Jungerman (b. 1959, Moengo, Suriname) can be described as the result of various forms of cultural expression encountered during his travels, and impressions gained in the various places in the world where he has lived. At first glance, the resulting work appears to be firmly in the tradition of the Modernism of artists like Piet Mondrian and Malevich, but at the same time it has its roots in the rituals of Winti and the designs of the Maroon peoples of Suriname. This creates a certain tension in Jungerman’s work, between the universal visual language of Modernism and the spiritual power of Vodou and Winti. Jungerman has produced a number of new pieces specially for Gemeentemuseum Den Haag’s Projects Gallery.
Born in a small Maroon community inSuriname, Jungerman studied mechanical engineering in Paramaribo, and later attended the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. His work should not however be regarded solely as a reflection of a Surinamese artist and his relationship with the Netherlands. Jungerman is interested in the global journey made by patterns, designs and form language. Globalisation, a trend much discussed at the moment, has been occurring for years in the world of art and objects. Exchange of knowledge between cultures and forms of communication and trans-nationality are important themes in Jungerman’s work.
The title Crossing the Water is a reference to Jungerman’s own passage from Modernism to the African diaspora perspective in his study of the geometric. Since 2014 he has been working on panels, abandoning the restrictions in terms of shape and colour dictated by the DeStijl movement – his great inspiration – and, using specific textiles, reintroducing the influences of Winti rituals. Jungerman uses traditional fabrics, and also batik-based fabrics made by the Dutch manufacturer Vlisco. For him, this symoolizes the economic ties and exchanges between the different cultures in which he lives.
