SHEM
SHEM is a British self-taught artist of Cuban, Jamaican and Pakistani heritage whose multidisciplinary practice moves with instinct, humour and emotional release. Working across canvas, objects, clothing, jewellery and stage design, he builds a world that feels both chaotic and intentional, a visual language shaped by emotion, ancestry and curiosity. His signature logo, originally drawn as a self portrait, appears throughout his work as a quiet marker of presence, linking each project back to the same inner landscape.
His art has been shown in London, Margate and Cambridge, as well as internationally in South Korea and Japan. Alongside his studio practice, he has collaborated with HUGO BOSS, created a jewellery capsule with Basque duo Nkoda Joyas, and developed large-scale artwork for Bad Bunny’s SNL stage performance.
and by Laura Heckford
CONVERSATION
Current Work
How would you describe your artistic practice in a few words?
Multidisciplinary, instinctive, conversational and emotionally led, a kind of spiritual chaos.
What themes or ideas are central to your work right now?
I return to ancestry, spirituality, dream states and the tension between the world around me and the world inside me. The gaps between spaces.
Your process seems very emotional. Does something trigger it?
My process is reactive. When something affects me emotionally or spiritually, I need to release it. That’s when the painting happens. It can appear manic in the moment, but once the mark is made, It’s calm again. I rarely work in a tightly structured way only when the paint demands it
Are there any projects you’re excited about right now?
I’m always building, but I tend to keep things close until the moment feels right. I’m exploring ideas that push my world further.
You work across many mediums. How do they come together?
Whether it’s found objects, clothing, jewellery or canvas, everything lives in the same internal landscape.
Anything that inspires you?
Life, society, self belief and music. Music is crucial, It’s the wind to a bird. I rarely paint in silence, the music starts the spark. It's the soundtrack to creativity.
Exploring your identity
How would you define your visual or brand identity?
It’s a paradoxical balance of chaos and calm. My characters and symbols appear throughout the work they act like guides. There’s humour, tension, play, curiosity. It’s chaotic on the surface but if you read between the lines, it’s pretty chill. It can be confusing, but that’s me.
Are there values or moods you hope to convey?
Curiosity, introspection, connection. I like when viewers discover something new like stepping into a story and realising there’s another door behind them. It’s a bit like Alice in Wonderland or Bowie’s Labyrinth.
How you bring your artistic identity to life
How does your identity show up in your presentation?
The logo began as a self portrait. People thought it was a crown, but it was actually my hair. Over time it evolved into an anchor, a quiet symbol that threads everything together. Sometimes it hides inside the work like a whisper, other times stands openly at the centre. Either way, it’s a marker of presence, a reminder of where the world begins.
Fashion naturally became part of the language. Jewellery, stage design and objects, all different expressions of the same identity.
Have any of those elements become signature to your practice?
The logo, the characters, the symbolic language. They’re the pillars of the universe I’m building.
Looking ahead
Is there something you’d love to do more of creatively?
Anything that deepens the emotional experience, I’m drawn to things that let people step inside the feeling, not just look at it. Whatever medium allows that I’m open to it.
What’s your next big focus or direction?
I’m always building so who knows. I tend to follow the energy and the direction reveals itself eventually
Are there particular places where you imagine this work happening?
Tokyo, Paris, Seoul, New York, LA cities where I feel a natural creative resonance. I’ve already shown in Tokyo and Seoul and want to keep expanding outward.
