Elvyrra Jon was born in South Korea, and now lives and works in Melbourne. Jon’s artwork is best described as abstract, but it is not non-objective. It is firmly based on the real world though it is not slavishly imitational or correctly representational.

Jon tries to identify what she feels is most characteristic of a place or an object. A special focus is to encourage the viewer’s interpretation of these paintings either as illusionary space, as dramatic metaphor or conceptual idea. It can create a contemplative area to draw the viewer in and allow them to continue an exploration of the concepts and relationships in her work. The inspiration of her recent work comes from a journey through Antarctica, Buenos Aires and Marrakech, which gave her a unique opportunity to create an effective visual language.

Jon’s special interest was the Tango and the atmosphere of Buenos Aires, and the vastness of the snow and ice wilderness of the Antarctic. As well she was commenting on the relationship it has with contemporary perspectives. With regard to North Africa, she was able to indulge her interest in colour and the unique combinations of culture and architecture of Marrakech. Using all of these as a source of inspiration for the process, she made brush marks, textures and lines rather than formal abstract compositions or illustrations of the landscape, have resulting in canvases with dynamic colour and line.

Jon is interested in hybrid outcomes and in her own work she uses western painting techniques combined with the eastern aesthetics. The result of exploring ideas of difference and cultural identity gives her work its dynamic energy.

There are surface flatnesses and metaphysical depths that contain many other possibilities in her work. Space is very important in Jon’s work, it can create a contemplative area to draw the viewer in and allow them to continue an exploration of the concepts and relationships in her work.