The Artistic Journey of John Zerunge Young
Born in Hong Kong, John Zerunge Young moved to Australia as a child in 1967. His academic background is diverse, beginning with the study of Russian Impressionism at the Julian Ashton Art School. He later declined a scholarship to the National Art School in Sydney to pursue a degree in Philosophy of Science and Aesthetics at the University of Sydney, where he earned a First Class Honours degree. His formal training continued at the Sydney College of the Arts, where he studied sculpture and painting under Imants Tillers and David Ahern.
Young's professional career includes a period living in London and Paris after receiving the Power Foundation Scholarship from Sydney University. Upon returning to Australia, he served as a lecturer at the Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney, from 1983 to 1994. In 1996, he became a founding member of the Asian Australian Artists' Association (Gallery 4A), an organization dedicated to the advocacy of Asian contemporary art. He relocated to Melbourne in 1997.
Themes and Recognition
The body of work produced by Young includes several distinct series, such as the Silhouette Paintings, the Polychrome Paintings, and the Double Ground Paintings. His abstract paintings often explore themes regarding technology and the body, seen in series like Naïve and Sentimental Paintings, The Day After Tomorrow, and Spectrumfigures. In later years, his projects shifted toward transcultural humanitarianism, exemplified by works such as Bonhoeffer in Harlem and Safety Zone.
Throughout his career, Young has received significant recognition, including:
