John Burge is at present represented by the Jackman Gallery, 60 Inkerman Street, St.Kilda, Victoria 3182, and the Pollock Gallery

In 2008 the figurative artist completed his first retrospective exhibition at the Victorian Artists Society in East Melbourne. It had been his first Melbourne show in thirty-six years and ranged from 1975 till the present. The nine panel ' Bluebeard's Castle ' - a free adaptation of Bela Bartok's 1918 opera - was seen for the first time in it's entirety.

He had previously exhibited in Melbourne in 1972 at the Warehouse Galleries in Richmond and, according to some, provided one of the most memorable and notorious openings of the time.

John then moved to Europe and lived for twelve years in the Catalan village of Ortedo, deep in the Spanish Pyrenees, exhibiting in Barcelona during the dying days of the Franco regime.

He later showed in Amsterdam and Munich, exhibiting with Dali, Vasarely, Magritte and Fontana before a critically acclaimed exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum, Alkmaar. Despite forthcoming contracted exhibitions, family circumstances meant a reluctant return to Australia.

Through the mid-eighties and nineties he moved into book illustration and became involved with art education in schools. Over the last four years John has returned to full-time art.

In May 2010, he exhibited a second, more complete showing of ' Bluebeard's Castle ' at the Kingston Arts Centre. It included previously unseen work and as a coda, 'The Don's Last Tale ', a large watercolour on the theme of ' Don Giovanni '. The exhibit was opened by Mr Rob Hudson MP, Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts and a short discourse on Bartok's opera was presented by Associate Professor Thomas Reiner, head of the Monash University Conservatorium of Music.

The opening was kindly sponsored by Silverwood Wines of the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria and the exhibition kindly assisted by Art Spectrum P/L Fine Artists Materials.

An exhibition of new and recent work was held from the 16th of June until the 4th of July, 2010 at the Jackman Gallery, 60 Inkerman Street, St.Kilda, VIC. 3182. The gallery continues to carry a wide and comprehensive selection of John's work.

Artist's Statement for the Jackman Exhibition

"Of course it is a very peculiar occupation. This continual disassembly & reinvention of the fabric of our experience. Searching for a narrative line to make a sort of sense of the maddeningly complex world around us. Whether we laugh, cry or merely flip the finger & head for the hills. I aim for an art of passion, exorcism & sometimes just plain mischief. I enjoy & respect craft and an understanding of technique in painting & drawing, believing that a certain level of virtuosity & skill can only intensify an experience. Perhaps it's all just a novel or movie in waiting, some allegorical slipstream to give Dante a run for his money."