Shika (鹿)

Canvas Print, Canvas, Ready to hang

Printed to size: 30cm (W) x 40cm (H) x 5.5cm (D)

Print Size

Complete Your Piece With A Wood Frame

A$305

Arrives 23–26 Sep

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Original Artwork's Description

Drawing on my time in Japan and the city of Nara, this work represents Nara’s sacred animal – the deer (鹿), believed to be divine messengers of the gods. In Chinese and Japanese mythology, the deer embodies beauty, elegance, longevity, and immortality. Living between Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan, I reinterpret ancient Eastern narratives to forge a collective cultural identity reflective of my diverse homes.

Artist Bio

Born in Hong Kong, Bryan Mew is an Australian Chinese artist who has been shortlisted as a finalist for multiple Australian art prizes including the 2021 Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Awards, 2021 National Capital Art Prize and 2022 Lethbridge 20000 Art Prize. He has also been a finalist in the Australian Bluethumb art prize in 2021 and 2023. Mew has furthermore participated in shows at Melbourne’s Brunswick Street Gallery, the Red Gallery, and The Other Art Fair in Melbourne, Sydney and Los Angeles. Furthermore, he was featured in Australia’s Art Edit Magazine in 2022.

Mew's current art practice was inspired by his 2 years living in Japan, where he learnt about the origins of the Japanese Kanji writing system that dates back over 3000 years ago. He believes the study of these characters allows the very essence and meaning of humanity in ancient times to be revived, relived, transporting ancient traditions to the present. Recently, Mew has participated in a group exhibition in Tokyo, and a solo exhibition based on his art residency in Nara, Japan.