Damien Shen is a South Australian man of Ngarrindjeri (Aboriginal) and Chinese descent. As an artist he draws on both of these powerful cultural influences to create works of intense personal meaning. In using his artistic talent to share his story he aims to open the eyes of viewers to new ways of seeing Australian identity and Aboriginal art.
From time consuming, labor intensive drawings to bleeding water colors and velvety smooth oil paintings, Shen is constantly constructing and deconstructing the world around him through his imagery to better understand his identity and the identity of those that help to shape the world he lives. While he constantly pushes his practice into different mediums his content remains relevant to contemporary Australian issues around race, history and politics.
Constantly pushing his practice while engaging with and responding to the people, places and stories that effect his ideas around identity, Shen has started his career with a vigorous and contagious energy.