Shen Wei
Shen Wei
Shen Wei is a fine art photographer, currently based in New York City. He was born in Shanghai, China in what he terms, a “conservative upbringing”. He has a BFA and a MFA from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and from the School of Visual Arts, NY, respectively.
Wei photographs people with the intent to determine how people deal with their identity. “For my portraits, what really matters is to show the sensibility and vulnerability spiritually… Appreciating the emotional nakedness is the aim of this project.” His are intense portraits. This work is one of a series of 35 self-portraits, often fully nude, entitled, “I Miss You Already.” The distinctive back lighting and other pictorial elements reflect Wei’s interest in Jan Vermeer, the 17th century Dutch painter.
Wei’s work is in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), J. Paul Getty Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, to name a few. He is a recipient of awards from the Rockefeller Foundation among others. Wei exhibits both nationally and internationally, and his photographs have been featured in several publications.
This print is available through the Philadelphia Museum of Art Online Store
The response to the competition each year has been exciting and brought many talented photographers’ work to the attention of the Museum’s curatorial staff. With the competition, we have added work of twelve very talented arts both experienced and emerging. Limited edition prints of this photograph are available at a cost of $600 through the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s retail store.
- For more information contact:
- Photography Portfolio Competition
- The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
- P.O. Box 7646
- Philadelphia, Pa 19101-7646
- E-mail: questions@pmaphotocompetition.org
- Telephone: 215-684-7930