Shea Chang
Bio
Often described as primal, archeological, and reminiscent of alien ephemera or vintage graphic design, Shea Chang’s speculative and haunting visual languages illuminate the hidden tensions of social, technological, and ecological thresholds. Her artistic practice is informed by her multi-racial and queer identities, shapeshifting between the realms of drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, installation, and public art. Shea has manifested her artwork through solo and collaborative projects in Canada and internationally for over 15 years, with highlights on platforms such as Mepaintsme, CBC Arts, Opaloma, and Regional Archive. She holds a Diploma of Fine Arts from Langara College (Vancouver), Bachelor of Design in Illustration from OCAD University (Toronto), and an MFA of Visual Studies from York University (Toronto) where she received a SSHRC scholarship and the 2020 Samuel Sarick Purchase Prize. Shea is an Associate Professor of Illustration at OCAD University in Toronto, and her home-based studio is located in Hamilton, Canada.
Description
I am drawn to the thresholds that separate and connect us. The dancefloor, for instance, embodies transformation—a site of queer belonging, freedom, and playful defiance. Play is vital in resisting a world increasingly hostile to trans and queer identities. To feel safe is to be able to play and create, and my work aspires to cultivate these spaces of possibility. This ethos extends into my practice, where I explore large-format wheatpaste and light-based installations in atypical spaces, engaging with shadows, margins, mischief, and play as acts of resistance. Rooted in a longing to express experiences of in-betweenness and exclusion while simultaneously activating and expanding marginalized spaces, my work takes shape through devious and promiscuous visual motifs, materials, and processes. I draw with analogue and digital implements, then combine and transduce the layers into new forms, sparking a sense of unbound transformation and movement.
Featured Works
Chimerico, xerox and digital collage / wheat paste mural installation (127” x 110” / 10.5’ x 9’), 2023, NFS Bumper, xerox and digital collage / wheat paste mural installation (116” x 110” / 9.5’ x 9’), 2023, NFS Compendii, xerox and digital collage / wheat paste mural installation (60"x132” / 5’ x 11’) , 2024, NFS
