Shane Hansen

Artist - Auckland

"A fusion of Maori heritage, strong sense of family and an admiration for the clear graphic sensibility of the wharenui."

Shane Hansen likes a strong, clean line. His creations spring from a world of bold colours and optimistic clarity, a pop-art invitation to a feel-good New-Zealand celebration.
But to overstate the simplicity of his work is also to underestimate it, as its approachability is often a friendly invitation to deeper contemplation. The word whanau, for example, is buried in the black, white and red curves of a large work on plywood and prompts reflection on the twisted, intricate nature of family ties. Another work featuring the word Aroha is not cheerleading a one-sided celebration of this big emotion, but acknowledging its multilayered complexity. In these works, Shane is fusing his own Maori heritage and strong sense of family with his admiration for the clear graphic sensibility of the wharenui.
Shane studied art at high school but began his professional life as a fashion designer. He then trained as a graphic designer, eventually combining these two disciplines. So it's not surprising his work is so graphic, yet remains on a human level.
The walls of the Hansen family home in Manurewa were covered in paintings by Shane’s grandfather and great-grandfather, both of Danish origins and his mother’s side of the family is a mixture of Chinese and Maori, of Tainui descent.

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Shane Hansen

Artist - Auckland

Collection