One of the City of Logan’s most celebrated artists will soon have his work on display at Logan Art Gallery.
Woodridge-based Jun Chen is part of a small group of Queensland artists whose work has regularly been accepted into the prestigious annual Archibald Prize Exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Jun exhibited nine portraits in the Archibald between 2006 and 2021 and was runner-up in 2017 with his painting of the late Australian art dealer Ray Hughes.
His exhibition will run at Logan Art Gallery from Friday, December 1 until Saturday, January 20.
Jun’s past Archibald entries include Mao’s Last Dancer and recently retired artistic director of Queensland Ballet Li Cunxin, passionate art collector and former teacher Judith Bell and former University of New South Wales Chancellor and paediatric doctor John Yu.
Along with his Archibald creations, Jun will also feature two works from the Salon des Refusés exhibition held each year by Sydney’s SH Ervin Gallery.
This exhibition features many works entered for the Archibald Prize but not selected for display.
One of the works to be exhibited is Portrait of the artist Ian Smith 2021 (a local artist) which Jun is donating to the Logan Art Collection through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program.
Jun was born in China in 1960 and migrated to Australia in 1990.
He trained in painting at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and later the Queensland University of Technology.
In China, he was a brush and ink painter. In Australia he reinvented himself as an oil painter.
Lifestyle Chair Councillor Tony Hall said the exhibition provided an opportunity to see Jun’s complete Archibald catalogue.
“People will be able to see for themselves the talent which has regularly caught the eye of the Archibald Prize judges,” Cr Hall said.
“It will be a great way to finish off the year and launch 2024 and I encourage the community to schedule a visit to not only see Jun’s work, but also catch the three other exhibitions on display.”
These exhibitions include:
- Remnants of the past by Kate Douglas featuring paintings that highlight historical buildings such as Mayes Cottage House Museum, Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum and The Workshops Rail Museum.
- Paint on! by Marsden artist Robert Burgess. After teaching art and exhibiting throughout Australia and overseas, this will be Robert’s first exhibition of abstract paintings at the gallery.
- A coral community by Wunderpeach. Sculptor Nadine Schmoll and animator Tessie Liddell have created an interactive installation of an underwater world by combining sculpture and animation with art and science elements to highlight the marine environment.
The gallery, on the corner of Jacaranda Ave and Wembley Rd, Logan Central, is open Tuesday to Saturday (10am to 5pm). Entry is free.
