Damien Shen is a South Australian man of Ngarrindjeri and Chinese descent. As an artist he draws on both of these powerful cultural influences to create works of intense personal meaning.

Damien Shen juxtaposes traditional Ngarrindjeri shield designs with imagery from 1980s cartoons, blending his Chinese and Ngarrindjeri heritage alongside childhood influences. The shield represents the strength and resilience of Shen's lineage as the artist delves into the complexities of his cultural identity, and the tension between past and present.