Born in 1948, Shanghai, China. During the Cultural Revolution all art schools were closed so Shen was largely self-taught – becoming recognised as an artist in the mid 1970s. One of his works, Standing Guard for Our Great Motherland (1974), was shown in Guggenhein Museum, both in New York and Bilbao, in the the China: 5000 Years exhibition, 1998.
He studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing 1982 to 1984, and became an acclaimed history painter having his works hung in the top public collections, in the National Art Gallery of China and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution in Beijing. He won five prizes at the National Art Exhibition including first prize.
He moved to Australia in 1989. In the first two years he had to draw portrait sketches for tourists in Darling Harbour to survive, but used this opportunity to research portraiture and became an experienced portraitist. Since then he has done many portrait commissions in Australia and overseas.
Since 1992, he he has competed in the Archibald Prize, and was hung eight times (from 1993 to 1999, and 2002), including once to be the Runner-up (1997). He also was a finalist in the Doug Moran Prize in 1994, 1996 and 2007. He won the third prize of portrait twice in the Sydney Royal Art Show (1993, 1994). In 1995 he won the first place of the Mary MacKillop Art Award and obtained a medal from Pope John Paul II.
The critics commented: “Shen is a whole-hearted painter who has come through a tough artistic training in China. He has all the technical ability, the courage to take on ambitious compositions, and a hint of self-deprecating wit.” (John MacDonald, Mar. 29, 1997, the SMH).
Shen works and lives in Bundeena, NSW, with his artist wife and young daughter.