23 July 2024

In memoriam Jacqueline de Jong (1939-2024)

On June 29th, Dutch painter, sculptor, and graphic artist Jacqueline de Jong passed away at the age of 85. Since the 1960s, she built an impressive and versatile oeuvre, ranging from expressionistic paintings to pop art, socially committed posters, and more.

Jacqueline de Jong at her exhibition 'Pinball Wizard' at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 2019. Photo: Michel Beskers
Jacqueline de Jong at her exhibition 'Pinball Wizard' at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 2019. Photo: Michel Beskers
The Situationist Times 5, 1964-photo: Monoskop.org
The Situationist Times 5, 1964, photo: Monoskop
Jacqueline de Jong-Rencontre accidentel, 1964-photo: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Jacqueline de Jong. Rencontre accidentel, 1964, photo: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Jacqueline de Jong-Upstairs-Downstairs, 1985
Jacqueline de Jong. Upstairs-Downstairs, 1985
Jacqueline de Jong in her studio at Cité Prost, 1968
Jacqueline de Jong in her studio at Cité Prost, 1968

Born in Hengelo to Jewish parents, she fled to Switzerland in 1942. She returned to the Netherlands at the age of 8. Later, she lived in Paris, London, and Amsterdam. In London, she met Asger Jorn, a former member of CoBrA, with whom she had a relationship from 1959 to 1969. In 1960, she joined the Situationist International, becoming the Dutch Section of the organisation after the expulsion of Constant and his group. The same fate awaited her two years later, and in response, she made six editions of her magazine The Situationist Times between 1962 and 1967, with contributions from fellow artists, architects, composers, and writers. 

Although her work did not garner much public interest for a long time, in recent years, she enjoyed more museum recognition. For example, she had a solo exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in 2019 and a solo exhibition will take place at the NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale upcoming autumn, which will be her American museum solo-exhibition debut.

May she rest in peace.