Joseph Allen Shea of Gallery A.S.

Joseph Allen Shea, with his finger in a few pies, is by trade an independent curator, publisher and gallerist.

For the most part his primary focus is the Sydney based Gallery A.S. He describes it as “a site-specific exhibition project” where he finds “interesting habitats for contemporary art that are not necessarily expected homes for exhibitions”. The goal, he adds, is to create an experience through the conversation between the art and its context that will make for an interesting journey for patrons.

When not preoccupied by Gallery A.S. he finds time to curate exhibitions for museums, manages cultural strategies for corporations and publishes limited run artist books, phew.

His most recent exhibition, Anthony Lister’s Bogan Paradise, is also his most ambitious. The exhibition featured four stories of dilapidated early Sydney architecture that for a long time housed a grimy sex store turned into 10 rooms of art installation and performance. Allen Shea says it was a gamble: “I love that it was a great risk that turned to great success”.

Being surrounded by so much talent, it’s hard for Allen Shea to single out his fondest artist. He’s currently working on an exhibition with Sydney / Perth artist Fraser Anderson and describes himself as being “fully enmeshed and deeply inspired” by Anderson’s work.

Outside of his obligatory art duties Allen Shea loves to travel with his family and be inspired by art and culture around the world.

He is currently on an expedition that will see him experiencing art museums and their collections across the States and Europe.

When asked ‘what have you Stolen?’ Allen Shea modestly answered “This readers time”.