Artist of the day: Artist of the Day, September 27, 2023: Shen Shaomin, a Chinese Artist, sculptor, painter (#1916)

Shen Shaomin (1956) was born in Heilongjiang Province, China. His father was a carpenter. As a child, he was fascinated by mechanics, and he liked to deconstruct and reconstruct objects.

Shen Shaomin studies the explicit brutality of human nature through his multimedia work. Drawing from his innate conflict with the Anthropocene, Shen has created experimental, kinetic sculptures from animal bones that illustrate the consequences of human desire and artificiality. Meanwhile, his hyperreal, ‘sleeping’ sculptures of humans and animals reflect an ongoing dialogue between the real and the imaginary. In 2012, with the intent to strengthen inter-cultural relationships between Australia and China, Shen opened up his Beijing studio to young Australian artists for a residency and he continues to promote access to rising talents from both countries. His most current trompe l'oeil painting series borrow from Warholian studies of factory processes, where he paints portraits of celebrities covered with a light film of bubble wrap.

Shen Shaomin's solo exhibitions include There Is No Problem, Redtory Museum of Contemporary Art, Guangzhou, China (2015); So What, Breeze, White Box Museum of Art, Beijing, China (2014); The Day After Tomorrow, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, Australia (2011); and Project No.1—Solo Exhibition of Shaomin SHEN, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China; and Transplantation, Asia-Australia Art Centre, Sydney, Australia (2001).

Shen Shaomin's work has also been featured in renowned institutions worldwide including; Capital@Art.International, Ost-Stern, Frankfurt, Germany; Fields of Communion - The 4th Shenzhen Public Sculpture Exhibition, Shenzhen Central Park, Shenzhen, China; Almost There, Jorge B. Vargas Museum, UP Diliman, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, among many others.

Shen Shaomin's work is included in the collections of museums and foundations including Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Beijing Shan Hai Art Museum, Beijing, China; Droga 8 Collection, Sydney, Australia; Heilongjiang Art Museum, Harbin, China; Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, HI; M+ Sigg Collection, Hong Kong; Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY; Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia; The Red Mansion Foundation, London UK; The Saatchi Gallery, London, UK; Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney, Australia; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; Today Art Museum, Beijing, China; White Rabbit Collection, Sydney, Australia and Redtory Museum of Contemporary Art, Guangzhou, China.

In addition to many published books dedicated solely on the artwork of Shen Shaomin, The New York Times, Art Forum, and many other well known International media outlets have spotlighted Shen Shaomin and his works.

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