Shana Wilson
PAINTING
Over seven billion souls exist on this planet, each with a unique face and story. Shana Wilson transfers her visceral love for the human landscape to canvas. She paints inspirational women from all walks of life, all having in common the ability to inspire and create social change. She pays tribute to them on canvas, painting a long-overdue celebration of trailblazing women.
Each brush stroke creates a controlled cacophony as it assembles the intricate jigsaw of the human face. The artist tenderly cradles the peaks and valleys, darkness and light, colours and neutrals, empty and full, hard edges and soft curves. An entire life’s journey is written on this human landscape; a journey that begs to be documented and treasured.
The Canadian artist has painted portraits for the past 20 years, but, for the past years, directly inspired by the #MeToo movement, she has focused on women from all walks of life. Her work has brought her together with For Women Who Roar in the creation of an exhibition celebrating and empowering women. ‘Visit any major gallery or museum in the world and it is teeming with paintings of nude women in states of subservience to erotica. Contrast this with the paintings of clothed men in states of strength and power.’ Shana Wilson wants to flip this artistic marginalization and change the balance of how women are portrayed in the arts.
After a worldwide search, Shana was also selected and commissioned by TIME Magazine to paint two front covers, of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Jackie Kennedy, for their monumental ‘100 Women of the Year Special Edition’. The artist exhibits her work worldwide and is represented by MTArt Agency.
Selected
artworks Oeuvres
d’art sélectionnées
The Girl With The Pearl Earring , 2020
Oil and acrylic painting on canvas 121.92 x 121.92 cm This work was based on a portrait taken by photographer Sirli Raitma
The President of the Divided States of America , 2020
Oil on canvas 24 x 30 inches (60 x 76 cm) "My brush was screaming against racism, oppression, inequality and injustice. Donald Trump is eating the US alive, his appetite insatiable."
Projects
UBP x MTArt Agency
After our very successful exhibition “Hope Ratio” in June 2020, we partnered up for the second time with UBP in Monaco and created an exhibition called “A Brave New World”. In June 2020, we partnered up with UBP and exhibited for the first time the work of our artists in UBP’s beautiful space in Monaco on the theme of hope and sustainability. Like last year in 2020, our show addresses key topics that MTArt Agency and its artists feel very passionate about. “A Brave New World” tackles the issues and challenges that our world is facing and how as human beings we interact with these and our environment. Here are a few glimpses of our new exhibition featuring artists Asiko, Andrea Tyrimos, Ben Cullen Williams, Elisa Insua, Leo Caillard, Shana Wilson, Tiffany Bouelle and Claire Luxton. The exhibition is from January 2021 until August 2021.
Forward of the CEO Sérène El Masri at UBP in Monaco:
« Following our very appreciated and inspiring first UBP Monaco art exhibition representing and celebrating sustainability, we have again brought together a group of very talented young artists represented by award-winning artists’ agency MTArt.
As we take the plunge into a brave new world following the life- and world-changing events of 2020, the works now on display at our offices take us on a journey to explore our vulnerabilities as human beings, the values of our societies, and how we interact with ourselves, with each other, and with our environment.
Every contour of our landscape has been changed by recent events, and it will take mobilisation from all segments of society, business, government, and culture to collectively adapt. As the world of art opens the channels of awareness and dialogue, so finance has its own key role to play in this paradigm shift. By joining forces, we are compounding the benefits each of our areas of expertise and talent can bring.
I leave you to take in this thought-provoking and stimulating display conveying values and ambitions we can all draw from and share in pursuit of a bright and prosperous future. »
Download the catalogue of the exhibition “A Brave New World”
Watch the video of our exhibition “A Brave New World” at UBP Monaco:
TIME Magazine x Shana Wilson: “100 Women of the Year” Special Edition
For 72 years, TIME named a Man of the Year, which gave way to Person of the Year in 1999. In 2019, the magazine launched 100 Women of the Year, a project spotlighting influential women who were often overshadowed. To recognize these women, TIME has created 89 new covers, two of which were designed by our artist Shana Wilson: Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1996) and Jacqueline Kennedy (1962).
For Women Who Roar x Shana Wilson
Shana Wilson has partnered with the successful and empowering social platform and publication For Women Who Roar to create a major art exhibition celebrating the strength, intelligence, and talent of inspirational women. Portraits include the award-winning musician Serena Ryder, a breast cancer survivor changing the way we look at scars, an Olympic gold medalist, a 65-year young model breaking new ground in the industry, the courageous Dr. Blasey Ford, Gloria Steinem, Buffy Sainte Marie, and so many more.
TIME Magazine x Shana Wilson: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Shana Wilson painted a portrait of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg that was featured on the cover of Time magazine in March 2020. Read more here