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Shem, b. 1984, is a British-born self-taught,
often abstract, contemporary, expressionist
painter.
He started creating images as a child, making
comic books with his older brother, Sahla. His
childhood images were born out of the need
to make sense of an unconventional
upbringing, including a sometimes-difficult
nomadic lifestyle in London. The highlight of
his early childhood years was Rastafarian
schooling in Tottenham, rich in sensory
experience. This creation of images
continued in secret until he self-staged his
first solo show, A Discounted World At Full
Price (But Dreams Shem, b. 1984, is a British-born self-taught,
often abstract, contemporary, expressionist
painter.
He started creating images as a child, making
comic books with his older brother, Sahla. His
childhood images were born out of the need
to make sense of an unconventional
upbringing, including a sometimes-difficult
nomadic lifestyle in London. The highlight of
his early childhood years was Rastafarian
schooling in Tottenham, rich in sensory
experience. This creation of images
continued in secret until he self-staged his
first solo show, A Discounted World At Full
Price (But Dreams Are Free), in disused
premises in London in 2019.
Shem’s style has continued to develop as a
‘chaotic expressionist’ also described by
some as a journalist painter. In June 2020, he
exhibited We Are In The Future, a painted
billboard in Old Street, curated by Outside
the Zone. He had his second solo show,
When The Sun Falls Out The Sky, at the
Hoxton Gallery, Shoreditch, London, in November 2020.
Without losing his sense of urgency, he has been working at a range of scales, including the same
whole wall on Dereham Place in Shoreditch, twice; once in collaboration with Mr. Doodle - Rock
Paper Wizards - in May 2021, and solo All The Things We Dream Of Can Become More Than A
Dream - currently February - March 2024
His third solo show, Fine Art, was held in South Kensington, London, in March 2022. Featuring a
whole collection of work made across two studios in Dalston, Hackney. Shem’s first Asia solo show,
The Loser Wins, opened at Space Fountain gallery, Seoul in May 2023 and ran until August 2023.
Since then he has featured in two more exhibitions in Seoul, namely:
Mess, a new Art Fair in Seoul that ran between January 29 and February 2, 2024 and until February
29, 2024 at Venue: 2F, Main Store (Myeongdong), LOTTE Department Store, Seoul.
Shem held his fourth UK solo show, Art School, at The Margate School in Margate, Kent, between 6
and 27 October 2023. It featured new canvases and works painted on familiar and found objects in
a range of sizes.
Shem hosted a dinner with HUGO BOSS UK which included a one night solo show of his paintings
at the ICA in London on December 6, 2023. This was to launch the start of their collaboration, so far
including a Christmas campaign featuring 4 Christmas card designs and wrapping paper and a
limited collaboration on wrapping paper for Valentine’s Day 14 February, 2024.
Shem’s work is in numerous private collections around the world from Seoul to San Francisco. ...
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