PROFILE
Sheyne's art practice has evolved over the course of his 27-year career as a visual artist, and his mixed heritage of Samoan and Scandinavian/Celt ancestry has played a significant role in his work. He attended art school at the Auckland Society of Arts from 1992 to 1995, majoring in printmaking and experimenting with various disciplines before settling on relief woodblock as a medium that suited his dynamic style.
One of Sheyne's notable exhibitions was the group exhibition "Bottled Ocean" in 1995, curated by Jim Vivieaere and showcasing contemporary Pacific art at the Auckland City Art Gallery. Sheyne's vision of futuristic Pacific architecture began to take shape after he obtained a Master's degree in relief printmaking from Auckland University at the turn of the millennium. He saw himself as a paper architect creating futuristic structures that gave identity to himself and the urbanization of the Pacific.
Sheyne was inspired by architectural landmarks such as the Gaudi monuments in Barcelona and Gothic Baroque of Prague, which helped him to blend the high rise/high-density housing of Auckland with the shape of the Samoan fale. He used the term "paper architecture" synonymously with his printmaking, as it was a blueprint for what he wanted to see. The concept of high-rise Pacific structures took on more meaning for Sheyne after he learned about rising sea levels in Kiribati and Tuvalu, and he began to incorporate environmental issues into his work, focusing on endangered species such as the Yellow-eyed penguin.
Sheyne's recent subject matter has been exploring popular science for a spiritual narrative. In 2019, he was an artist in residence at the Carter Observatory where he created a body of work responding to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. His work highlighted how science and engineering brought the world together, if only briefly, during a time when it was falling apart due to war and corruption.
During his research into astronomy, Sheyne had an epiphany about our place in the cosmos, which made him more aware of the fragility of the Earth's atmosphere and the need to educate children about science at an earlier age. This new understanding and perspective have influenced his recent art making, incorporating scientific themes and spiritual narratives.
Overall, Sheyne's work demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach to art making, utilizing various mediums to explore his mixed heritage, futuristic Pacific architecture, environmental issues, and popular science.
Sheyne’s solo exhibitions include Ghost in the Machine, City Gallery Wellington, 2013; USO and the Dragon Slayer, Solander Gallery, Wellington, 2013; The Ancient Mariners, Papakura Art Gallery, Papakura, Auckland, 2011. Select group exhibitions include Freak of nature, Switchback Gallery, Monash University, Victoria, 2011; Out of the Box, Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah, New South Wales, 2011; Pasifika Styles, Camdridge University Museum, U.K, 2006; and Re-Interpreting the Middle East, and exhibition that toured Palestine, Jordan, Indianapolis, Washington DC, Boise State and Michigan, 2005-2006.
(intro gathered from tautai website)
Academic History
2000 M.F.A (hons) Elam School of Fine Art, University of Auckland,
1995 B.V.A Auckland University of Technology, Auckland,
Solo Exhibition History
2019 Lunar Module, Carter Observatory, Wellington
2014 Siapo Satellite, Massey University, Wellington
2013 Ghost in the Machine, Deane Gallery, Wellington City Gallery
USO and the Dragon Slayer, Solander Gallery, Wellington
2011 The Ancent Mariners, Papkura Art Gallery, Papakura, Auckland
2010 The Garden of Earthly Delights, Waiheke Art gallery, Auckland.
2008 Sonar Interferance, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch
2006 Misplaced Effigies, Flagstaff Gallery, Devonport
Marziart Internationale Galerie. Hamburg, Germany
Penguins and Buicks, Salamander Gallery, Christchurch
2005 The Gondwana Waka, Lane Gallery,Auckland
2005 The Gondwana Waka, Catchment Gallery, Nelson,
2003 Sifi Taavale Fale, Lane Gallery, Auckland,
2002 Salamander Gallery, Christchurch,
2001 Car Paopao. The Lane Gallery, Auckland,
2000 Expressway to Taou, St Agathas Gallery, Mt Eden
1999 Solo99, Camera Lucida Gallery, Oaxaca, Mexico
Porto-Indo, The Ilsington Gallery, London, United Kingdom
1998 Atlantic/Pacific, The Ericeira Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
1997 Monument to Motion, Archill Gallery, Auckland,
1996 Cacophony, The Lane Gallery, Auckland,
Selected Group Exhibitions
2016 Ink masters Exhibition , Cairns, Australia
2015 Line Out, Northern Print Studio, Newcastle, U.K
Wansolwara, Franklin Arts Centre, Pukekoe
2014 BINDING & LOOPING : University of Hawai'i, Manoa
2011 Freak of nature, Monash University, Victoria
Out of the Box, Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah, N.S.W
2009 Another New Zealand, Another U.S,A COCA, Christchurch
2006 Pasifika Styles, Camdridge University Museum, U.K
Re-Interpreting the Middle East , Khalil Sakikini Center, Ramallah,
Re-Interpreting the Middle East , University of Indianapolis
Re-Interpreting the Middle East ,Bethlehem, Palestine
Mainly Contemporary, Williams Gallery, Wellington
The Paltel Virtual Gallery at Birzeit University, Palestine
2005 Homelands, Cybertribe online Exhibition, Newcastle, Australia
Lima-Pacific Arts, (5th Pacific Festival of CHCH), Christchurch
Face Value: Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Face Value, Museum of Brisbane, Australia
Re-Interpreting the Middle East, SGC Conference, Washington
Re-Interpreting the Middle East, Orfali Art Gallery, Jordan
Re-Interpreting - Sisson Gallery, Dearborn, Michigan
Re-interpreting - Gallery 2, Boise State University,
2004 Printmakers, Catchment Gallery, Nelson,
Wallace Award Finalist Exhibition, Wallace gallery, Auckland
Sumei National Print Exhibit, Newark, N.J, U.S.A
2003 Sydney Art on Paper Fair 2003, Sydney, Australia
20/20, City Art Gallery, Christchurch,
2002 Start Up, Te Papa Museum, Wellington,
Pacifika Ways of Knowing Conference, Columbia University, New York
1999 Brothers, Gallery 482, Brisbane, Australia
1996 Bottled Ocean, Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland
Achievements, Residencies and Awards
2022. Relief Online Exhibition, Megalo Print Studio Canberra
2020. Print Edition for the Print Council of Australia
2019 Residence Carter Observatory, Space Place, Wellington
2016 Finalist, Ink masters Print Contest -Cairns, AustraliaFinalist for The Parkin Drawing Prize , Wellington
2014 City Council Commission, “ Barracks Mural”, Mt Cook ,
CoCo Pacifika Arist in Residence 2014 Massey University,
2013 Grey Lynn Community Centre Commission, Mural , AucklandFinalist New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Award, Hamilton
2007 -11 Gallery Director, LeSA Gallery, Wellington
2006 Macmillan Brown Centre, Artist in Residence, Canterbury UniversityArtist in residence Samuel Masden College
Artist in residence Howick College, Auckland
Artist in residence Dilworth College, Auckland
2005 Creative New Zealand Grant- Workshop in San Francisco, USA
Artbeatz Activate Award, Auckland
2004 Finalist –James Wallace Awards, Auckland
Finalist - Sumei National Print Awards, Newark, N.J, USA
2003 Wesley Community Centre Commission, Auckland
2002 Martin Hughes Contemporary Pacific Art Award
2001 Resident Artist for Pacific Pathways, Auckland Museum
Collections
Corcoran School of Art, Washington, DCHenry Ford Community College, Dearborn, Michigan
The International Center of Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Manunkau City Council, Auckland
Macmillan Brown collection, Christchurch
Wallace Arts Trust Collection, Auckland
Lincoln University Library , Canterbury
Wellington City Council, Wellington
NZ Diplomatic Residence.Rarotonga
NZ Diplomatic Residence, Addis ababa Ethopia
NZ Diplomatic Residence, Bangkok,Thailand
NZ Diplomatic Residence ,Brasilla, Brasil
NZ Diplomatic Residence. Guangzhou, China
NZ Diplomatic Residence. Honolulu, USA
NZ Diplomatic Residence., Jakarta, Indonesia
NZ Diplomatic Residence.Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
NZ Diplomatic Residence New Delhi, India
NZ Diplomatic Residence Port Vila, Vanuatu
Publications
Pasifika Styles: Artists Inside the Museum -Raymond, Rosanna and Salmond, Amiria, 2008
The Frangipani is Dead: Contemporary Pacific Art in New Zealand- Dr Karen Stevenson, 2008
Taeao tou i mea sina : the first Pacific Festival Contemporary Arts Exhibition, 1996
Articles/ Links
Stuff Article /Dominion Post 2022
Stuff Article/ Dominion post 2022
Eastern Courier 2009
New Zealand Herald 2002