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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

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Jiawei Shen

2006
Greg Weight

inkjet print on paper (sheet: 73.5 cm x 60.0 cm, image: 59.5 cm x 48.0 cm)

Jiawei Shen was born in China, where he grew up during the Cultural Revolution and began to gain recognition as an artist in the mid-1970s. Largely self taught at first, when he was able to undertake formal art training in Beijing he was significantly influenced by his teacher Shangyi, China’s most famous portraitist. He came to specialise in history paintings, and saw his works hung in top public collections in Beijing before moving to Australia in 1989. Here he has continued to paint full-time. One of his works was hung in the National Gallery’s Federation exhibition in 2000, and his portrait of Art Gallery of New South Wales Director Edmund Capon was the People’s Choice in the Salon des Refusés of the 2003 Archibald Prize. Shen’s painting of Tom Hughes was acquired by the NPG in 2005 and he was commissioned to paint Crown Princess Mary of Denmark for the NPG the same year. His portrait of L Gordon Darling AC CMG was acquired for the collection in 2006 and hangs in the Gallery's Gordon Darling Hall.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2009
© Gregory Weight/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Greg Weight (age 60 in 2006)

Jiawei Shen (age 58 in 2006)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency