'Balun' is a series of works that explore Shaun Daniel Allen's (Shal) connection to country and self.
Born from a mediative practice, the paintings unfold in layered motions, guided by intuitive movement. The work is the visual language of an intrinsic sentiment.
“Painting cancels out the immense noise of the world and lets me just be”.
Shal, a proud Yugambeh born and raised, Bundjalung man, began painting as a form of meditation. Sitting on his garage floor, he painted lines onto butchers paper, over and over, focusing on texture and expression.
During a significantly challenging time, Shal found solace in painting. He reached out to his community and immersed himself in nature. Through the act of painting, Shal came to better understand his feelings, which translated into art.
A multidisciplinary artist, Shal is also a musician and tattooer. In his teens, he discovered his love of creating and making through the underground music scene he was a part of.
DIY in essence is the approach in which Shal feels most comfortable. It is in this space of no limitations, that he is free to create. His style of painting is fluid, it encapsulates spontaneous movement, driven by intuition.
“I make intentional marks with feeling, using techniques I am continually changing/developing through discussions and observations.”
Growth plays a significant role in Shal’s practice. To evolve and move through an emotion, a thought, a limitation. Each piece has left its mark on him, each painting has allowed him to discover and connect to both himself and the world around him.
'Balun' is Shal's debutant exhibition with China Heights.