Identity fair or Jimmy Eight drawing by Jimmy Groen

Realm of Boys (Wereld van jongens) 1966 - present

Background

The Realm of Boys emerged as a sacred counter-world against the hostile adult domain. It became the only world to exist in when the adult world failed completely.

Developing from a Realm of Stuffed Animals in 1966, this timeless world has never been influenced by the outside. It is not merely a plural system, but a sovereign, protective and safe sanctuary. The Realm comprises three equally vital parts that directly drive the creative process of the boys.

1. The World of Stuffed Animals (Est. 1966)

This is where the Realm began, providing companionship, maternal care, and comfort in a cold world of silence. They interact and live within the group as ultimate protectors:

Bimbam (1966, the brown cat): Functions as the original mother for the boys. Lost in 1979 and restored in 1997, he is now the special mother to King Sven.

Pietertje (1967, the blue-striped horse): He can see in the darkness and protects little boys. Restored in 1997, he is now the protector of Saint Terry.

Dombo (1973, the pink elephant): Despite his pink color—once used by abusers to humiliate—he is the ultimate protector. Dombo can make himself invisible to adults and be in multiple places at once, confusing the enemy.

Snuitje (2023, orange-dotted foxes): The fastest animals on earth, providing ongoing support and swift protection to the boys.

2. The French-Netherlands (Est. 1970)

Because all contact with other children was strictly forbidden and severely punished, there was no outside world to play in. In response, a self-made island was created: The French-Netherlands. Physically, it started by turning a discarded, scraped-blank cardboard painting upside down on the floor—its wooden upright edges becoming dikes.

This remote island in a vast ocean is constantly besieged by enemies and extreme waves trying to erase it. Because the dikes are low, a highly strategic organization is required to defend it. Guided by Jimmy Eight (the King of the French-Netherlands), a force of blue and green wooden puppets reinforces the dikes and defeats invaders using ingenious, inverted machines—like a special LEGO boat built completely upside down to confuse the waves. The island has never been conquered.

3. The Inhabitants & The Creative Process

The boys in the Realm hold different roles, moving between historical memory, protection, and active artistic creation.

The Creative Group

King Sven (approx. 2.5 years old): The King of the Realm, protected by Dombo. In the creative process, he sparks joy by making spontaneous scratches on paper—which are, in fact, protective Ultimate Lines. He shares leadership with King Marty and King Jimmy Eight.

Tim (3 to 4 years old): Holds the heavy memories of the children's home, yet lives happily within the toddler group. He is deeply loved and brings humor to their games.

Rainbow Remi (2 years old): The most vulnerable dreamer and the ultimate symbol of Hope. Believing the world is inherently safe, he draws Magic Circles to express dreams of inclusion. He is fiercely protected by the others.

Alex (3 and 8 years old):A bridge between worlds. He tells elaborate, invented stories, injecting his own animals and vehicles into the Realm. He works closely with Jimmy Eight to take care of the younger toddlers.

The Leading Group

Jimmy Eight (8 years old):Having learned to fight the adult world as King of the French Netherlands, he began leading the creative process of the boys in 2023 as part of the identity restoration studio after foster care. He brings back the pure joy and creativity the toddlers once shared in the children's home in 1965. First depicted in a 2004 pastel drawing, Jimmy Eight works alongside hidden boys in the Realm to act as the ultimate Protector of Toddlers.

The Black Heart Boys

Within the Realm, three boys—Tim, Alex, and Rainbow Remi—are known as the Black Heart Boys. They hold the weight of deep, unresolved loss of those who were once loved. In this archive, the black heart is not a symbol of darkness, but of profound connection, sympathy, and enduring memory.