John Burge

Artist Bio

John Burge is at present represented by the Jackman Gallery, 60 Inkerman Street, St.Kilda, Victoria 3182, and the Pollock Gallery.

In 2008 the figurative artist completed his first retrospective exhibition at the Victorian Artists Society in East Melbourne. It had been his first Melbourne show in thirty-six years and ranged from 1975 till the present. The nine panel Bluebeard’s Castle – a free adaptation of Bela Bartok’s 1918 opera – was seen for the first time in it’s entirety.

As the artist reflected before the exhibition, “It’s all there, of course, the tears, the laughter and the whole mad giddying ride.”

He had previously exhibited in Melbourne in 1972 at the Warehouse Galleries in Richmond and, according to some, provided one of the most memorable and notorious openings of the time.

John then moved to Europe and lived for twelve years in the Catalan village of Ortedo, deep in the Spanish Pyrenees, exhibiting in Barcelona during the dying days of the Franco regime.

He later showed in Amsterdam and Munich, exhibiting with Dali, Vasarely, Magritte and Fontana before a critically acclaimed exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum, Alkmaar. Despite forthcoming contracted exhibitions, family circumstances meant a reluctant return to Australia.

Through the mid-eighties and nineties he moved into book illustration and became involved with art education in schools. Over the last four years John has returned to full-time art.

John Burge’s Website

John Burge at the Pollock Gallery