Jenny Watson is a Melbourne born artist with a career spanning over 30 years of art practice. She received a diploma of Painting from the National Gallery of Victoria Art School in 1972 and a Diploma of Education from the State College of Victoria in 1973.
Her first solo exhibition took place at Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne in 1973. Early photorealist work explored issues of framing of domestic objects, horses and immediate family. In the 1980s, she made a break with the large, photorealistic paintings and began painting naive figures onto materials selected for their cultural significance, geographic origins and individual histories. These sketchy, clever and dream-like works explore daily life, with a particular emphasis on women’s experiences as well as subconscious reactions and interactions between people. The script that often accompanies these images draws us into her dreams, confessions and memories.
In 1993 Jenny represented Australia at the forty fifth Venice Biennale. As well as exhibiting in Australia, her career has developed into an international programme through Europe, the United States and Asia. Last year her exhibition “Garden of Eden and Child’s Play” was shown at Galerie Transit, Belgium. Since 2001 she has resided outside Brisbane.
In 2002 she was appointed as an Adjunct Professor at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, where she is involved in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Notably, philosopher and art historian Benedikt Stegmayer’s forthcoming book “Confession: Jenny Holzer, Jenny Watson and Tracey Emin” acknowledges the formative influence that Jenny has had on Tracey Emin’s early work.
Jenny Watson is a dedicated storyteller: every group of her paintings tells the tale of a special time in her life, details a series of events, or refers to her own family or friends.
Exhibition Opening: 15th July, 6:00 – 8:00pm
