The Cybernetic Kangaroo      (Rufus Macropus Cyberneticus)

   The year of 1994 saw the birth of a concept, a vision from the subconscious depths of  the imagination of Shane Gehlert.  

   "Roboroo" shouted the excited children as they viewed the first painting in the series of Mechanical Macropods. Studded with rivets, armour plating glinting in the sun, the first kangaroo off the mark was raw and unrefined, but the basis of a series of works that would soon become an icon.

  "Why do you paint metal kangaroos?"  I am asked this question all the time!, quotes Shane. "To really understand the thinking of an artist is nigh impossible, but an artist's work is pure emotion and soul laid bare for public scrutiny!" "The Chrome Kangaroo is my symbolism, my own iconic mythological representation of a decaying socio-political quagmire of cultural nonsense!"  quips Shane.

"Perhaps if we armour plate our culture and chrome plate our national identity, we can survive the impact of the new world order global economy Mack truck"!Since it's inception, Roboroo has taken many shapes and forms, sitting, hopping, melting, exploding, metamorphosing into a new form of Australian surrealism which is highly sought after.

"I have only just started painting!" says Shane. "Five years into the series and I am just beginning to touch the surface of the concept. Each new painting presents the opportunity to shape, remodel, refine the previous one. I set out to better the previous painting each time, sometimes with success, sometimes not!"

Asked, which one is your best painting?   Shane simply replies.. "Haven't done it yet!"

Saint Bilby  (Macrotis lagotis)

   2006 saw the first introduction of the legendary icon of the desert, the Bilby, enter into the realm of Shane's paintings

A strange looking marsupial, of a similar family order of the Bandicoots (peramelemorphia). The Bilby is a nocturnal omnivore, who bears it's young live and suckles them in a pouch. Interestingly, the pouch faces backwards, unlike the Kangaroo that faces forward. The is to prevent it filling with dirt whilst burrowing.

Shane's Bilbies (the patron saint of tree huggers) float angelically over the desert, wielding his scepter of authority over the surrounding marsupial menagerie. His iconic glowing halo, an archaic tribute to the great origins of art and humanity.

Click on the photo to access the Bilby galleries

Surrealism series

   Shane's paintings, have always held a surreal element to them, but occasionally Shane produces works that can only fit that category.

  His many inspirations include the 'father of surrealism' Salvador Dali, Renee Magritte, Yves Tanguy, James Gleeson and many others.

Please click on the image to access the surreal gallery and enjoy the journey.

Super-realism

  In the mid 1990s Shane ventured into a series of paintings, exploring the concept of super or hyper realism.

Juxtaposing real and imagined objects together, on flat, yet multi dimensioned surface.

"It was a good opportunity to explore light and shadow and attempt to create a vista that can fool the brain into believing and image is real" quotes Shane

"I took great delight in watching people try to scratch the tape (painted on) from the paintings, or gape sideways down the canvas, to see if it juts out. I take my hat off to all realists, who can paint life or figures in a photo real way. It is a rare talent indeed."

Click on the photo to access the gallery 

Past commissioned works

   Here, I have put together, a small selection of some of the many paintings I have been commissioned over the years to paint.

The one to the left (Lobsters), was perhaps my most bizarre.

I enjoyed them all and am happy to report, they were all happily accepted by their comissioners!

Shane

click on the image to access the gallery