La propag andiste idiote (1965) marks a decisive moment in the early artistic development of Jacqueline de Jong, where her expressionist, figurative language – infused with scenes of violence, sexuality, and political unrest – fully emerges. The oil on canvas work (115 × 72 cm) belongs to the Accidental series and depicts a chaotic demonstration where distorted, creature-like figures wield batons and knives; their bodies are fragmented across a turbulent visual field.
Similar to the socially critical paintings of George Grosz and Otto Dix from the 1920s, De Jong's composition exposes the grotesque undercurrents of power, ideology, and mass manipulation. However, here propaganda manifests in a female figure, making traditional gendered portrayals of authority and victimhood more complex. Her deep dichromatic color palette – both seductive and harsh – lends an unsettling, disturbing beauty to the scene.
With this acquisition, the Art Museum St. Gallen reaffirms its commitment to post-war radical figuration while honoring an artist whose uncompromising vision addresses the entanglements of politics, violence, and desire with penetrating clarity.
For more information about the exhibition and the publication – published by JRP
Editions – please visit:
https://kunstmuseumsg.ch/unser-programm/aktuelle-ausstellungen/jacqueline-de-jong https://kunstmuseumsg.ch/kunstmuseum/shop/publikationen
Press contact:
kommunikation@kunstmuseumsg.ch
Nadine Sakotic
Art Museum St. Gallen, Head of Communications
T +41 71 242 06 84
www.kunstmuseumsg.ch