Get To Know… Shani Engelbrecht
Peeling back the layers of local multidisciplinary artist Shani Engelbrecht.
Words Indigo James // Image supplied
Multidisciplinary artist Shani Engelbrecht is fascinated by objects, textures and small details, using them as a lens to explore complex ideas across textiles, drawing, video, photography and installation. They’ve just wrapped up curating RELICS, a group exhibition of Adelaide College of the Arts alumni examining relics, heirlooms and the memories that linger through objects. We chat inspiration, procrastination, deadlines, and the importance of self-care and community. With RELICS complete, they’re planning new textile works, experimenting with natural dyes and tactile elements, inspired by pieces like Dirty Dishes Cry, which explored their mother’s immigration story and how sharing stories can connect people.
Tell us about your practice. What do you do?
I’m a Kaurna-based multidisciplinary artist, working in textiles, drawing, video, photography, and installations. I’m also an emerging production designer, with experience in music videos and theatre. I finished my Honours degree in Visual Arts in 2022 from Flinders University, and since then, I’ve been exploring all sorts of creative projects.
Your work often explores questions of identity and culture. How have your personal experiences growing up with Indian-Fijian heritage shaped the work you make?
It’s funny, only recently I discovered that I’m actually not German, even though my last name suggests I am. I still have yet to soft-launch that part of my identity online. I did an ancestry test and found out I’m Scottish, Irish, and English, which definitely spun me out for a bit. Growing up mixed race in Australia sits at the core of my practice. By reflecting on those experiences, I hope audiences can connect or see parts of themselves in them.
What’s inspiring you lately – whether in art, life, or even something unexpected?
I really enjoy noticing little details as I walk around the city or home. I’ll spot things like a pretty flower peeking through a fence, moss growing between cracks in the pavement, or paint peeling to reveal another colour. If you looked at my camera roll, it’s full of random photos of patterns, textures, and bits of rubbish that catch my eye.
When you’re not creating, what’s your guilty pleasure?
I think my guilty pleasure is re-watching all the Twilight movies. They’re so good you can definitely find me screaming along to ‘Decode’ by Paramore and knowing all the words. I’m also a trinket collector and I love the joy of opening a blind box and giving it a home, even if none of my shelves have room anymore.
With RELICS now on display, what did curating the exhibition teach you about art, memory, or yourself as an artist?
Curating RELICS taught me a lot about resilience and perseverance and to keep going even when I don’t believe I can. I’m a big procrastinator, especially as an artist, but being a curator, producer or organiser is all about deadlines, sometimes making them yourself, and following through on what you’ve said. It also showed me that in the rush of it all, you need moments of self-care and that having a community of people to talk to and lean on is so important.
What projects or directions are you most excited to explore next in your practice?
Gosh, that’s a great question! As an artist, there are always so many ideas swirling around, it’s hard to pick just one. I’m planning to make more textile works like the one I made for RELICS called Dirty Dishes Cry, exploring my mother’s immigration story and how we can connect by sharing our stories and making the work together. I definitely want to experiment with natural dyes and tactile elements in this new work.
Stay up to date with Shani Engelbrecht @sjengelbrecht.art
