The Murakami Retrospective: Brushstrokes of Justice, Philosophy, and Belonging
The Murakami Retrospective:
Brushstrokes of Justice, Philosophy, and Belonging
By Shane St Reynolds
Alumnus of Aquinas College | Southportonian | Editor of The Good News
When an artist like Jason Murakami stages a retrospective, you don’t just view a collection of paintings — you walk into a life story.
His recent exhibition, THE MURAKAMI RETROSPECTIVE, opened by the Hon John-Paul Langbroek MLA (Minister for Education & The Arts), was far more than a visual showcase. It was an emotional excavation, a philosophical offering, and a celebration of an extraordinary journey — not just of an artist, but of a sixth-generation Gold Coaster, a former Aquinas College Dux of Art, and a proud descendent of one of the city’s earliest multicultural families.
For those of us lucky enough to know the Murakami family personally — as fellow alumni, family friends, or long-time locals — this exhibition was a homecoming in brushstrokes.
The Legacy Behind the Name
Jason’s surname, Murakami (村上), translates from Japanese as “village above” — a name that speaks of perspective, heritage, and elevation.
His great-grandfather Junzo Murakami arrived from Japan in 1882 and left an indelible mark on Queensland history, not just through business success but through acts of quiet rebellion against discrimination — like purchasing the Scottish Princess pub in Southport so he could legally marry the woman he loved.
That same spirit of thoughtful defiance runs through Jason’s art and life.
From Junzo down to my niece’s children, we’re now sixth-generation Gold Coasters. It’s in our blood. Southport isn’t just home — it’s who we are.
Aquinas College, the Seeds of Expression
Jason's creative spark first ignited at Aquinas College, where he was not only College Captain and Football Captain, but also Dux of Art in 1987 — the very first year the all-schools art exhibition launched at the Gold Coast Arts Centre (now HOTA).
He exhibited four works. He sold all four. That moment planted a seed — and set in motion a lifelong relationship between art and emotional truth.
Expressionism as Language of the Soul
In 1985, whilst attending the Queensland Art Gallery, I was introduced to the works of Edvard Munch… That didn’t change how I felt. It changed how I thought. And certainly how I painted.
Jason’s artistic philosophy is deeply rooted in expressionism — not as a style, but as a language.
A painting that doesn’t attempt to depict human emotion is of little consequence to me.
That ethos shaped the works featured in THE MURAKAMI RETROSPECTIVE, a collection spanning four decades and deeply informed by personal experience, loss, grief, love, philosophy, and introspection.
Highlights from the Exhibition
- "Alone in a Crowd" (2006): Sketched in a tea house in Amsterdam’s Jordaan during a winter of solitude. Inspired by Van Gogh’s emotional isolation, it captures the paradox of loneliness amidst people.
- "Vi" (2008): A tribute to the late Vi, a pioneer of Fortitude Valley’s arts scene. Jason painted her from memory, in the garden where she once wore a yellow straw hat.
She had this serene poise. I painted her after returning from her funeral. - "ID" (2005): A philosophical piece inspired by Freud’s theory of the self — sketched outside Freud’s rooms in Vienna. A meditation on the interplay between desire, morality, and identity.
- "The Opponent" (2023): A reflection on Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic challenge of self-mastery.
Stay calm and serene regardless of what life throws at you — and remember your real opponent is yourself.
Kenshō in the Gallery: Sudden Enlightenment in Art
In Zen, there’s a term called kenshō or Satori — the moment of sudden awakening, where truth is seen clearly, if only for a flash. Jason’s work is full of these moments.
That flash came early for him — discovering Munch’s work at a gallery. But it continues to unfold in each piece: in the brushstrokes, in the tension between colour and shadow, in the emotional honesty behind each composition.
I’ve been painting for four decades, but every time I paint, I learn something about myself. — Jason Murakami
A Legacy that Extends Beyond the Canvas
What makes Jason’s work even more impactful is that it doesn’t stop at the gallery door.
As a co-founder of the Griffith University Innocence Project, Jason has helped overturn wrongful convictions and bring justice to those failed by the system.
He’s also mentoring young artists and sponsoring a major portraiture prize at his alma mater, the Queensland College of Art, inviting emerging talents to explore themes of justice and identity through portraiture.
Fine art has been suffering post-COVID. Burgeoning artists have been decimated. This is one way we give back — to protect the art, the insight, the next generation.
Southport, Still at the Heart
Jason may wear many titles — lawyer, artist, mentor — but he remains, at heart, a Southportonian. A sixth-generation Gold Coaster. A loyal son of the place we call home.
You can still find him painting quietly in his studio. Or sailing the Kirribilli, the vintage yacht he and his wife lovingly restored — a floating symbol of patience, tradition, and old-world beauty.
Final Thoughts: Paint, Pain, and Presence
Jason’s exhibition doesn’t just reflect an artist’s growth. It invites us to see ourselves — our vulnerability, our struggle, our truths.
Even Michelangelo hated painting the Sistine Chapel. His neck ached. Paint was in his eyes. But sometimes, even in suffering, the brush finds something divine.
We can’t wait to see what Jason Murakami will exhibit next.
What’s most powerful about THE MURAKAMI RETROSPECTIVE is how deeply it invites that reflection. Not just of a man or a career — but of how life, loss, and legacy are written on the canvas of us all. Jason Murakami is more than an artist. He’s a witness. A storyteller. A steward of memory and meaning. And for those of us who’ve shared classrooms, football fields, and family meals with him — this retrospective was something even greater:
- A love letter to the Gold Coast.
- A tribute to its stories.
- A reminder that our past, like our art, still shapes us.
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