About Roland de Jong Orlando

Roland de Jong Orlando graduated in 1990 from the Amsterdam School of the Arts. His geometric-abstract style falls under the heading of Concrete Art, a style in which he has been working since his graduation. The term Concrete Art was first introduced in 1930 by Theo van Doesburg, who described it as a form of abstract art that had to be universally clear and the product of an artist’s conscious, rational mind. In this art form, there is no longer any reference to reality. In other words: the work of art plainly is what it is. Whereas many other concrete artists only arrive at this abstract style after a few years of development, this has been the essence of De Jong Orlando’s oeuvre from his graduation onwards.

In his work Roland de Jong Orlando shows his fascination with systems, patterns, rules and the creative area between mathematics and aesthetics. He builds his sculptures from modules, sometimes using mathematical series of numbers such as the Fibonacci sequence. But he is also seen to playfully experiment with all kinds of combinations that create new unexpected forms. Rhythm, harmony, symmetry, structure, and development within the sculpture as an entirety are of great importance to him.

At ARTZUID he shows Blue 4U, a sculpture that is symmetrically constructed from modules. The title, the colour and the heart shape reveal that melancholy can also be conveyed in abstract art. The interaction of light with the work, when it hits the modulated surface is an extra treat for the viewer.