Press Release
Junko O’Neill
Interlude
A solo exhibition of works
17 – 22 November 2014
Private View:
Thursday 20 November 6:30-9pm
The Coningsby Gallery
30 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RJ
It is said the Japanese see space differently. So how different is it from that of the Western and
how is it expressed in art? The work of UK-based artist Junko O’Neill is influenced by the Japanese
spacial and temporal concept of ‘Ma’ which can be translated as ‘gap’, ‘space’ or ‘pause’. O’Neill
will showcase her new body of work both in abstract and figurative forms in the solo exhibition
Interlude.
‘Ma’ is a Japanese way of looking. It gives the intangible positive meaning. Empty space or time is
not considered as a separate entity. The void created does not have a negative meaning, instead it
suggests pregnant nothingness.
O’Neill says: “What I portray with my work is space, where time is seemingly halted but also where
something has just happened or is about to happen. Emptiness is deliberately expressed in order
to suggest potential.”
“Far from being labelled as figurative paintings, these thought-provoking pieces may
be more accurately described as portraits of space, populated in order to prompt our
sense of relationship within it.” Seline Bullocke, art writer, Arttext
Interlude will be staged from 17 to 22 November at
The Coningsby Gallery, 30 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RJ www.coningsbygallery.com
Exhibition Opening Times: 9am-6pm (Tue until 9pm), Sat 10am-5pm
Private View: Thursday 20th November, 6:30-9pm
For further information, contact
info@junkooneill.com 07733 422892 or visit www.junkooneill.com
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
Junko O'Neill gained her MA and BA from Winchester School of Art, where she was given the
Stephen Heffer Memorial Award in 2008. Junko was shortlisted for the Celeste Prize 2011 and
Kudos International 2013. Her work 'The Intervals' that she created for Winchester Cathedral
as a part of Winchester’s biennial art festival 10 Days in 2013, was displayed for an extended
period at the cathedral's special request. She has exhibited widely in the UK and abroad,
including a solo show, Fragments of Time, at GV Art, London, Berlin and Florence. She also
co-curated Space Unfolding, a group exhibition at Espacio Gallery in Shoreditch. Born in
Tokyo, Junko now lives in Winchester and is a resident artist of the Sorting Office studios in
Eastleigh, Hampshire www.sorting-office.co.uk
Shadowless
Mixed media on panel, H60xW100cm
Epiphany
Mixed media on panel Golden Path
H100xW60cm Mixed media on panel, H100xW110cm
Summer, Night, Rainbow
Mixed media on panel, H100xW110cm
Opulence
Mixed media on panel
H100xW60cm
(Front image) Fracanzan, Mixed media on panel, H100xW60cm