Junko Morimoto: My Work - My Journey
Junko Morimoto
The ACU National Gallery presented an exhibition of Junko Morimoto's works from 7 to 28 October, 2005.
Junko Morimoto is a children's book artist and well known for her popular and award wining books such as The White Crane, The Inch Boy, A Piece of Straw, Kojuro and the Bears and The Two Bullies. Publishing fourteen books, they are read around the world.
Morimoto was born in Hiroshima Japan in 1932. She originally studied western style painting at Kyoto University of Fine Art. Later she opened children's art studio in Osaka. She also taught art at a junior high school in the city of Katano where she worked on a major illustration project on the city's history book.
Her children's book artist career started when she migrated to Australia in 1982. At the time she was 'just' fifty years old. Over the last two decades, Morimoto has visited schools around Australia and met thousands of children. Also as a survivor of the atomic bomb holocaust in Hiroshima, she has given talks on her witness account of the holocaust at numerous school visits.
Morimoto is also a practising Japanese Sumi-ink painting artist. In 1992, she travelled across Australia from Gulf of Carpentaria to Melbourne and she fell in love with the landscapes of Australia's outback country. She produced paintings of her impression of the great landscapes in traditional black and white Sumi-ink style.
The exhibition will review her works in both fields of her art. Her works in children's books and Sumi-ink pictures will represent over two decades of history of her encounter with Australia.
Morimoto's art have been enlightening for Australians, for children and adults, giving insight to the Japanese culture through her works.