With FESITEN - first time Jungerman presents his latest works, in which he explores his origins and surroundings. In his sculptures he unites two cultures: that of the West-African diaspora and the modernist discourse of western art. He uses, for example, geometrical patterns that are characteristic for artists likePiet Mondrian, as well as for the cloths used and worn by Jungerman's family when visiting their ancestor shrine. Hence the title ‘fesiten’, which means so much as ‘history’ – in this case a very personal one.
The starting point for Jungerman’s work is the geometrical shapes in the textiles used by theMaroons – a population inSurinam of direct African descent. They took this geometry with them on their forced migration to theDutch colonies. There, the Maroons re-used and reinterpreted the designs time and again. Jungerman continues this tradition in his own way. In the play of lines he found parallels with artistic language of the De Stijl group, which he emphasizes in his sculptures. By letting go, of the ritual meaning of the geometrical patterns, he can build and expand on the oeuvre of this influential group of artists. This unique combination results in objects of high artistic quality and great historical significance.
With his sculptures, Jungerman unites Europe with Africa and South-America, and transcends the boundaries of time.He bridges the gap that seems to exist between the cultures by emphasizing similarities.Jungerman himself is in fact the personification of this kinship; his (partly)Maroon-ancestry is a melting pot of several African cultures, while he grew up in a Dutch colony in the Americas and was educated in the western art historical tradition.
Remy Jungerman(Moengo, 1959) lives and works in Amsterdam. After completing his studies at the Paramaribo Art Academy(AHKCO), he left for Amsterdam to study at the Rietveld Academy. Jungerman has exhibited internationally, at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Museum Arnhem and the Brooklyn Museum, to mention but a few. He also participated in fairs such as Art Rotterdam (2014) and the New Orleans Contemporary Art Biennial(2015). Various museums have acquired Jungerman's sculptures - from theGemeentemuseum (The Hague) to the Africa Museum (Berg en Dal) - as did many private international collectors.
