Denise Shaw is a New York City-based mixed-media artist whose work interrogates the intersection of global social narratives, human rights, and the philosophical concept of Anima Mundi—the “Soul of the World.” Operating from her studios in Tribeca and Connecticut, Shaw constructs tactile, layered environments that function as both a visual record of our collective history and a call to action. Her practice is a deliberate act of “fanning the flames” of consciousness. Utilizing a diverse array of materials—including acrylic, watercolor, photo transfers, metal leaf, pumice, and sand—Shaw builds surfaces that mirror the complexity of the human condition. Her work seeks to create an “authentic habitat” for memory and resistance, ensuring that our collective history remains vibrant, curious, and alive.

Shaw’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions across museums, galleries, and cultural centers in the United States and Europe. Notable venues include the National Museum of American Art (Washington, D.C.), the Reece Museum (Tennessee), The Copelouzos Family Museum (Athens, Greece), The Woodruff Arts Center of the Atlanta College of Art (Georgia), Metropolitan Dade Community College (Miami), the Vasilunas Gallery (Lithuania), St. Stephen’s Cultural Center Foundation, Rome, Italy and the Human Rights Biennial (Seattle and California). In New York City, her work has been showcased at the Museum of Arts and Design, the Swiss Institute, the Park Avenue Armory, LaGuardia College, Mildred I. Washington Gallery and the Viridian Gallery.

Beyond the gallery, Shaw is committed to public art as a revolutionary act of connection. Her public contributions include CowParade, In Celebration of Rescue Dogs, and the Save the Tigers project at the United Nations, as well as designing a flag for the Iconic Rink at Rockefeller Center. In 2003, she received the prestigious honor of designing and painting the White House Easter Egg commemorating the 9/11 attacks.

Shaw holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and a postgraduate certificate in Film from New York University. She has also studied Italian and Philosophy at the New School. Her work is held in numerous private, public, and corporate collections, including those of Rockefeller Center, The White House, ESG Insignia, GHI Health Insurance, Philip Morris, New Moves Dance Company, Cruise Norway, and Pfizer, Inc.