In her controversial figurative paintings, Sunjoo Heo (b. 1987) focuses on delivering the essential truth: we are the human beings, behind every religion, every ethnicity, every politics and every border. Throughout sending a strong message about decolonisation, resistance and resilience, she highlights interconnection through human experience in oil inspired by Korean Minhwa and Christian Iconography.

Born and raised in Busan, South Korea in 1987, she moved to Kaurna Country/ Adelaide, Australia in 2006.

As a self-taught artist, her recent works have been selected as finalist in the Korea-Australia Arts Foundation (KAAF) Art Prize in Sydney and the 13th Prospect Portrait Prize in Adelaide. Her work was selected to join the group exhibition, GREEN, in the Leda Gallery in NSW.

Education

2021 University of Adelaide - Bachelor degree of Health and Medical Sciences (Hons)

Selected Group Exhibition

2026 'GREEN', LEDA Gallery, Newcastle, NSW

Selected Publication

2025 Visual Art Journal #42 link

Selected Awards

2025 Finalist: The 13th Prospect Portrait Prize

2025 Finalist: 'Commended' - The Korea-Australia Arts Foundation Art Prize