Watch: Monster Children x Nike Presents 'Opposite of Rust' Featuring Shal
All photos by Dougal Gorman.
Nike DN8 presents The Opposite of Rust — an immersive, multi-sensory art exhibition by Shal, held at Sydney’s Machine Hall.
This wasn’t just an art show — it was a full-on sensory experience, capturing the heartbeat of movement itself. A collision of Nike’s obsession with progression and Shal’s raw, kinetic artistry.
Motion. Flow. Fluidity. Propulsion. Progression.
The Opposite of Rust.
Shal’s spectacular 30-metre-wide neon green installation hung in overlapping layers from the 12-metre-high ceiling, like movement frozen mid-air. The space came alive sonically with music from Shal’s band Nerve Damage and longtime friend Jono Ma. Custom projections by Riley Blakeway, paired with a moody soundtrack by Buzz Kull, filled every inch of the room with immersive energy.
It was a one-night-only event, but the message was loud and clear: movement never stops.
The story continues with The Opposite of Rust — a special collaboration between Nike, Monster Children, and Shal. An ode to forward motion. A celebration of never standing still.
Read our interview with Shal, the artist behind it all, and dive into how this remarkable collaboration came to life.
Give us an introduction to yourself for anyone who doesn’t know you - who are you, where are you from, where do you live, and what do you do?
My name is Shaun Daniel Allen (feels weird without my middle name) but most of my friends call me or know me by Shal. I’m a Bundjalung fulla, born and raised on the Gold Coast. I currently reside on Gadigal Land, Sydney. I’d say I’m mostly a person who makes things. I play in some bands. Paint, take photos, tattoo (although not so much these days), and try to surf as much as possible.
How did you get into art and music?
Without making it too long of a story I basically found the punk and hardcore scene when I was fourteen through bodyboarding videos (shout out to Stoker in California and all the Aussie crews making these videos). Around that time, in the early 2000s, Brisbane and Byron had a really strong hardcore scene with a bunch of bands around. The shows were growing non-stop and happening weekly. I met a whole bunch of people there and some guys convinced me to come to one of their band practices. When I got there, they played a few new songs and told me it was for a new band, that I was now the singer of. So that took me down that path that I am still involved in. At those shows I was also introduced to a number of other art forms that were heavily tied into that DIY scene. People taking photos, making zines, distro’ing records. I was obsessed with all of it. Everyone was tattooed or getting tattooed. It was a whole secret world that ended up shaping my world views and the rest of my life really and brought me here.
What about tattooing? Was that just a natural progression from art? Where do you tattoo from now?
No, I couldn’t draw to save my life when I was younger, and had no idea about art outside of record covers, fliers and t-shirts. Basically as soon as I turned eighteen, I got tattooed as much as I could. Some of my friends were doing their tattoos apprenticeships and I was always trying to hang around the shop as much as I could. I couldn’t get enough. I started working at the counter while also touring overseas and working every shitty job under the sun as you do. When I was working at a shop in Brisbane (Valley Mall Tattoo, RIP Rick Nash!)Rick basically said it was time to learn to tattoo or find another job. That didn’t really work out, but I got a taste for it and eventually found my way back to wanting it more than anything. Around then, I lived in a house with a really great tattooer (Dan Bursell) who gave me the nudge and some guidance. I ended up balancing a construction job and working counter and doing odd jobs at Westside Tattoo in Brisbane whilst getting my back tattooed by Matt Cunnington. Eventually, Matt gave me a somewhat full time job doing counter, and I annoyed him for almost a year wanting to apprentice. He thankfully gave in, and here I am. I now, very occasionally, tattoo at Gummy Johnston’s tattoo shop, Thanks Tattoo on Oxford Street in Sydney.
Congratulations on your collaborative project with Nike, Opposite of Rust - can you tell us a little about the initial briefing conversation and your inception of the project?
Thank you! The initial conversation was very open-ended. ‘Hey, we want you to make something, anything you want to, in conjunction with the release of the Dn8. Have a week to think about it, and then let's talk.’ We had another chat not long after, and everything was centred around motion which set my brain into overdrive. A few paths were considered and dismissed, and I eventually landed on a combination of things I felt could convey motion and my creative identity. The idea continued to evolve and take shape as the weeks went on, and Opposite of Rust was born.
Tell us how you came up with the name Opposite of Rust and what does it mean in context to the project?
I was thinking a lot about the brief and the ideas of movements. At some point I focused more on the things that happen when there isn’t movement. What happens to your body? What happens to objects? You get rusty with certain skills… Objects rust and deteriorate.
We want the opposite of all of these things. To keep moving. Keep a forward motion. The opposite of rust.
As a proud Yugambeh born / Bundjalung man - how does your rich culture influence your ideas for projects like this?
I’m an Indigenous artist, always. No matter what. If it’s not cultural, I still consider how I can represent all Mob. With projects like this, I remember some of the conversations I’ve had with some other mob I look up to. Those conversations centre around the belief that the way you paint, sing, move - It’s all influenced by our Country and by our Culture. Just let it pour out, and know it’s coming from generations and generations of those who came before.
For the art installation for Opposite of Rust you created a 30-metre wide piece, can you talk to us about the process, where you painted it, and how it was made?
The hardest part was definitely finding the materials I was chasing. And then a space to paint something that long in; not an easy feat in Sydney. I called in some favours and found the space (thanks Mike Hewson!). After a bunch of false starts, and then not being able to acquire the material I first had my heart set on, we settled on something that was more accessible and easy to have produced at length, which definitely worked out better than I thought.
I worked on a pattern that encompassed elements of the shoes that stood out to me and pushed it in a few directions abstractly until it made sense to me. We rolled out the material, and I was as excited as I was intimidated but got stuck in. I couldn’t have done this without the help and the kick in the butt from China Heights. I tried to not over think the painting and just did what felt natural. There were definitely a few moments of self doubt in there but it all came together after a few days.
With a piece that large, how did the installation work at Machine Hall exhibition space in Sydney?
It was actually a rather straight forward install. I was lucky enough to have an elevated work platform at Mike's Space, so when I finished painting the work we hung it and moved it around until I was happy. We marked out all the hanging points, and made it as easy as possible to replicate at Machine Hall.
You and your band Nerve Damage created a bespoke soundscape for the Opposite of Rust exhibition, can you talk about the idea, who was involved and how it all came together?
When I initially had the meetings with Nike, they were approaching me more as a visual artist more so than a musician. As my ideas slowly worked themselves out for the project, I had another meeting and the suggestion for my band to play came up. I was pretty adamant about us not playing a set, but it planted the seed and I thought we could definitely write a piece of music to perform.
At first I thought maybe only one or two of the band would be interested in the idea but after having all played together in bands and projects for the last 15-20 years, it was an easy sell to get everyone to work with me on a piece of music that incorporated all the elements to fit the whole theme of movement. I flew up to Qld and we jammed out some ideas and it took shape from there. Big love to these guys for always having my back creatively, being excited to try things and help each other out. I couldn’t think of a better bunch to be in a room with. We performed under the name ND, but I don’t think we were fooling anyone ha.
ND is - Sam Saljooghi, Guy Niemack, Ben Smith, Jackson Tuschsherer and Alex Parrish.
Your friend Jono Ma also made a piece of music for the event. How did that come together? Tell us about the collab with Buzz Kull as well.
I was thinking of other ways to fill the space sonically. It was perfect timing with Jono recently moving down to Sydney. Jono and I align quite a lot with musical tastes and ideas. I mentioned to him what I was doing and he seemed to be all about it. I left him alone to work out it out and it transitioned perfectly into ND. Couldn’t have asked for a better set.
We actually recorded, mixed and mastered the music from the night for a tape. Those songs running into each other work so well. I also wrote a piece of music with Buzz Kull (who was sadly away on tour with Cold Cave in the US and unable to perform it live with us on the night) that played in conjunction with video loops that Riley Blakeway and I had made to be projected onto the textile works. It played on eight screens installed in the Machine Halls' upper deck.
One of the parallel elements for the Opposite of Rust exhibition, was partnering with Nike for the launch of their new Nike Air Max Dn8 model. How did the shoe itself inspire your approach to both the art or music outputs?
I got a few sneak peaks at the shoe before its launch to see what I could pull from it in regards to making the artwork. With the theme being motion and movement, I found shapes and lines all across the shoe that sent me down different paths with materials and shapes to paint. The music revolved around the artwork in much the same way.
The Dn8 shoe really enables motion, can you talk about the theme of motion and how this is reflective in the work you created for the project?
With the installation at Machine Hall I had my large textile hanging from the ceiling with fans blasting to create that movement and motion, all whilst being covered in projections and motion all around the space. I feel like motion was embraced and replicated across all the mediums I used on the night, making the space feel alive and moving.
Will we be seeing those Dn8’s at the Swans games?
Absolutely will. This is our year!
What can we expect to see from Shal this year? What are you looking forward to?
Looking forward to my next solo show in November at China Heights Gallery, Sydney. My other band Primitive Blast is recording next month. Otherwise, I’m just excited to keep making things with my friends and collaborating. To keep pushing with any medium I’m working with, and to just finish work, put it out to the world, and keep moving.
Thanks Shal, keep on moving!
