November 23, 2018 - October 11, 2019
Gallerysmith artist Junko Go was commissioned to create a mural in the courtyard at Contemporary Art Tasmania‘s space in Hobart. The resulting mural was We Are All Mad Here.
Through painting, drawing and storytelling Junko Go depicts her personal philosophy and view of the world. Often working intuitively, the artist creates multi-layered colourful and whimsical scenes. For the CAT Courtyard, Junko has elaborated on Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book, Alice in Wonderland. Alice in Wonderland excites us with a vivid imagination and brings us a whole new world where childhood is forever and dreams are to become a reality.
Employing the absurdity of the plot, the peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures, and their riddle-like quotes and songs, I aim at creating the world of madness and posing an intellectual challenge to viewers by asking “how do you know we are all mad here?”. The thought provoking remark by the Cheshire Cat “I’m not crazy, my reality is just different from you” urges us to re-assess what madness really means. I particularly enjoy the liveliness and optimism drawn out of the spontaneity and the naivety, and the result, I think, creates a childlike wonderment and the whimsical humour, that is a celebration of wonderland in its manifestations.
– Junko Go, 2018