Junko Go

About

Junko Go was born Shiga, Japan in 1955. She migrated to Australia 1992 and now lives and works in Greens Beach on Tasmania’s north coast.

Junko`s paintings are an intensely lyrical expression of being, or in her own words “what it is to be human”. With spontaneity as a driving force, she presents an eclectic cast of naive human figures and animals subsumed in patterns. Her paintings are characterised by a lightness of touch, a cunning sense of colour and an inventive use of shapes and marks. She takes an unusual approach to new works, going against tradition to first compose a title for a work, then devising a way to convey the words visually.

Junko was the winner of Tasmanian Art Award (2001 and 2002) and finalist in the Glover Prize (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2014) and being highly commended in the Glover Prize (2011). Her work is included in numerous public collections and private collections nationally and internationally.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011 – a kind of fable…, Harrison Galleries, Paddington
2010 – all about… animals, Handmark Gallery, Evandale
2010 – tea is for…, Harrison Galleries, Paddington
2009 – blue is for…, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
2009 – all about… blooming, Gallery 101, Melbourne
2008 – all about… flowering, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
2007 – all about… hungry, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
2006 – all about… trees, Gallery 101, Melbourne
2005 – all about… happiness, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
2005 – Me and My Ugly Mountain, Academy Gallery, Launceston
2003 – all about… dogs, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
2001 – all about… goats, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
1999 – all about… birds, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
1998 – all about… fish, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
1996 – Animal Kingdom, Handmark Gallery, Hobart
1995 – Junko Jungle, Dalmeny Gallery, Evandale
1992-1986 – Annually, Kyoto, JAPAN

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2011 – Animal (for Sydney Art Week), Harrison Galleries, Paddington
2009 – UnStill Life, Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie
2006-2008 Wallpaper, Carnegie Gallery, Hobart and touring Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie, the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston and Wagga Wagga Regional Gallery, Wagga Wagga
2006 – Fifty Trees in Launceston, Design Centre of Tasmania and the Academy Gallery, Launceston
2004 – Devils and Angels, Academy Gallery, Launceston

AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2011 – Finalist for John Glover Landscape Prize, Evandale
2009 – Finalist for John Glover Landscape Prize, Evandale
2008 – Finalist for John Glover Landscape Prize, Evandale
2006 – Finalist for John Glover Landscape Prize, Evandale
2005 – Dean’s Roll of Excellence, Faculty of Arts, University of Tasmania
2004 – Dean’s Roll of Excellence, Faculty of Arts, University of Tasmania
2003 – Royal Launceston Show Art Prize, Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston
2002 – Alfred Evershed Award, TAFE Tasmania
2002 – Kym Clayton Art Award, TAFE Launceston
2002 – Tasmanian Art Award, Eskleigh
2001 – Tasmanian Art Award, Eskleigh