Overview
Cotton established himself at the forefront of the renaissance of Māori art in the 1990s and his distinguished career now spans over three decades. His practice is underpinned by recurrent questioning of his own bicultural identity, and our collective cultural identity.

b. 1964, Upper Hutt, New Zealand (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hine and Te Uri Taniwha)
Lives in Kororāreka, Russell

Shane Cotton is as an internationally renowned New Zealand artist, who has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and abroad. In 2008, he received a Laureate Award from the New Zealand Arts Foundation and, in 2012 was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the visual arts.

Cotton established himself at the forefront of the renaissance of Māori art in the 1990s and his distinguished career now spans over three decades. His practice is underpinned by recurrent questioning of his own bicultural identity, and our collective cultural identity. To offer a view into Te Ao Māori (Māori world view), Shane had to commit to learning and understanding Mātauranga Māori (knowledge). As his practice developed, he has built on the knowledge of his ancestors, actively absorbing and re-examining the past to contextualise what biculturalism means in the present day. The symbols from Māori and Pakeha cultural histories in his paintings are predominantly derived from post-contact Māori art, and prompt conversations about nationhood and identity.

Cotton has created a distinctive iconography, which draws on both European and Māori historical sources, and explores complex issues of colonization, bicultural exchange, and identity. His work frequently makes reference to Māori folk art – art that developed post-contact, and incorporated elements from European culture. This type of art was particularly prominent in the first half of the 20th century, and it is often seen to encapsulate the complex cross-cultural exchange that came with colonisation. Cotton has explored such subject matter in his art practice, creating contemporary art works that critically engage with the complexities of bi-cultural discourse in New Zealand. Cotton has shaped this swathe of visual references and touchstones into a contemporary visual lexicon. This has proven highly successful and has been the foundation of his ever-growing critical acclaim.

Having spent several years in Manawatu, Cotton is now based in Northland. His formative years were in Te Awakairangi Hutt Valley. His extensive exhibition history is highlighted by exhibitions as New Zealand’s representative at the Prague Bienniale in 2005, at the Asia Society Museum (New York), the Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney) The Dowse Art Museum, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, and IMA (Brisbane 2012-13). His works are held in all major public collections in New Zealand and Australia.

Gow Langsford Gallery first represented Shane Cotton 1998-2009 and again from 2021.

Works
  • Shane Cotton, Liquid Sleep [Moerewa], 2025
    Liquid Sleep [Moerewa], 2025
  • Shane Cotton, Ahuaiti's Cave, 2024
    Ahuaiti's Cave, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, He tangata hīkoi, 2024
    He tangata hīkoi, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, He Waka Karaka, 2024
    He Waka Karaka, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Insert, 2024
    Insert, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Internal Visions, 2024
    Internal Visions, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Ka moe au, i te moemoea…, 2024
    Ka moe au, i te moemoea…, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Nga Karu, 2024
    Nga Karu, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Nga Karu II, 2024
    Nga Karu II, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Rahiri's Light, 2024
    Rahiri's Light, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Slow Sun Abstraction, 2024
    Slow Sun Abstraction, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Slow Sun Abstraction I, 2024
    Slow Sun Abstraction I, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Slow Sun Abstraction II, 2024
    Slow Sun Abstraction II, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Sunset Gate, 2024
    Sunset Gate, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Super Radiance, 2024
    Super Radiance, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Te Pokapūtanga, 2024
    Te Pokapūtanga, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, The First Prophet, 2024
    The First Prophet, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, The Great Attractors, 2024
    The Great Attractors, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, The Laughing Tree, 2024
    The Laughing Tree, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, The Visitation, 2024
    The Visitation, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, The Walker, 2024
    The Walker, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, The Will of the Devil, 2024
    The Will of the Devil, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Two Maunga, 2024
    Two Maunga, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Up the Creek, 2024
    Up the Creek, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Water's Edge, 2024
    Water's Edge, 2024
  • Shane Cotton, Te U Kai Po, 2023-24
    Te U Kai Po, 2023-24
  • Shane Cotton, The Perfect Gifts, 2005
    The Perfect Gifts, 2005
  • Shane Cotton, Whenua Word, 2000
    Whenua Word, 2000
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