Shane Dodd b. 1989

Shane Dodd is a contemporary Pitjantjatjara artist living and practicing on the APY Lands. Encouraged by his late grandmother and grandfather, Shane began creating art in 2022.

He comes from a family renowned for their craftsmanship in traditional practices such as spear-making, grass weaving, and woodcarving. While Shane did not take up those practices himself, he grew up accompanying his family on bush trips to collect materials and later worked in land management. He also spent several years as a teaching assistant at Mimili Anangu School, where he supported bush excursions for students and advocated for the continued use of Pitjantjatjara language in the classroom.

In 2024, Shane discovered a powerful new way of making art, one that connects his deep experience of collecting on Country with his emerging skills in mark-making and visual storytelling. Today, he is best known for his distinctive sand-blasted sculptural works on fuel caps and found car parts, transforming discarded metal into artworks that map journeys, memory, and Country. Shane premiered his work at Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Desertmob, and Sydney Contemporary in 2024, quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting upcoming young artists.

Shane is also a key contributor to the Mimili Wati (Men’s) Group, a collective of Aṉangu men who are redefining contemporary printmaking, not in formal studios, but out bush, on Country, using whatever tools are at hand. His technical precision and cultural insight have been central to the Wati Group’s dynamic bush workshops, where Shane leads experiments in sandblasting and stencil-making on reclaimed materials.

In 2025, Shane is a finalist in the 47th Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award as part of this groundbreaking group.