Shane Hansen

Shane Hansen – Artist
Tainui – Ngati Hine, Ngati Mahunga

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.

Shane is of Maori, Chinese, Danish and Scottish descent, which is reflected in his art as he navigates his way on a journey of cultural discovery and self acceptance. He describes his work as his therapy, kai for the mind and soul.

Shane works in many mediums such as wood, glass and metal which he sees as a reflection of his multi-cultural make-up. He mainly paints on plywood as the grains, knots and blemishes have a history, tell a story and bring a special depth to his work.

‘The detail of my mahi, is in it’s simplicity. Keeping details to a minimum to achieve an image of high impact, depth and meaning, is a challenge, but I feel the work is stronger because of it. The term less is more, is definitely the case with my work and it doesn’t mean it is less meaningful.’