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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Look Whales, 2020

Jiawei Shen

Darling Portrait Prize 2022 Finalist

Look Whales, 2020

My daughter Xini was born in Beijing but grew up in Australia. She met her future boyfriend Nathanael in primary school when we moved to Bundeena 25 years ago. Now they live together in Sydney and work in high schools – one is an English teacher and one is an IT engineer. When my new studio was built by the sea in Bundeena they came back for a holiday and looked at the whales playing in the sea from the upstairs window. My double portrait of them tries to catch that happy moment for this young couple.

Darling Portrait Prize 2022
(More information, View all 39 paintings)

Becoming (The Artist's Daughter)
Season of Change
Shaun: Warda Kadak, Becoming
Zaachariaha

Related information

Gordon Darling

by Jiawei Shen

Portrait story

Gordon Darling talks about how Jiawei Shen came to paint his portrait.

Princess Mary

Portrait story

Artist Jiawei Shen describes the symbolism in his portrait of HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.
L. Gordon Darling AC CMG
L. Gordon Darling AC CMG
L. Gordon Darling AC CMG
L. Gordon Darling AC CMG

Portrait of a patron

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2007

A new painting by Jiawei Shen captures the vision and resolve of the Gallery's founder, L. Gordon Darling AC CMG.
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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