In interview, the Dutch sculptor Folkert de Jong discusses his work. Following an introductory text, which refers to de Jong's exploration of grotesque subjects including war through figurative sculptures made from styrofoam and polyurethane foam, he traces the origins of his interest in using styrofoam as a sculptural material, compares it with polyurethane, and focuses on his working method noting his use of photographic archives to find suitable facial expressions for his sculptures. He considers the spiritual aspect of his work, analyses the influence of his childhood growing up alongside reminders of the German occupation of the Netherlands, and also notes the infuence of the art historical tradition on his work with reference to his work 'Gott mit uns' (2006; col. illus.) and his incorporation of copies of works by Hans Arp and Coonstantin Brancusi into a solo exhibition of his work in 2006. He comments on his arrangement of his figures into tableaux, assesses the influence of Paul McCarthy and Robert Gober in his work, and refers to his use of images drawn from film. He suggests his recent work 'Les saltimbanques' is a metaphor for the position of artists in society, and outlines his aim to introduce human drama and realism into his work. (LLBA, Accession Number 00548865, (c) CSA [2008]. All rights reserved.)