We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chloe Chen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Chloe, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My purpose usually comes from my art and creative practice revolves around my own experience. And the protagonist in my drawing is always myself. I always feel that some things that happen around us are like boiling frogs, however, the reality is frogs don’t boil, but we might. I created the work Abortion in 2018, and until recently Roe v. Wade was overturned, I think we haven’t done enough. Andrew Wynter, an English physician, and author wrote “If we could watch in secret the rape of each lock, we should be able to give a series of pictures of human agony such as life but rarely presents, for we may be sure that, as a rule, a young woman almost as soon lose her life as that glorious appendage, on which so much of her beauty depends.” when he described a very large trade in human hair- especially women’s hair in the 18th century to explain that there were one hundred tons of human hair annually taken to Paris and were distributed in a raw and manufactured state over the whole of Europe. Those girls who sold their hair were not only a participant in an industry chain of human-hair trade but also consumers forced by the fashion trends created by public opinion and consumerism. Today, across the world, women and girls still grow their hair for money. The relationship between women and society has changed, but there is still a certain oppressiveness. My works start from these glorious appendages, in the form of observational drawings, ceramics, and printmaking to discuss the relationship between women and consumerism, and the social psychology driving these actions. Also, to reflect on restrictions imposed by public opinion and conventions, and my particular cultural background surrounding women’s appearance and sexuality through my introspection.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an artist who lives in San Diego, California now and focuses on large ink drawings, ceramics, and printmaking. I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. I had a strong passion for painting and drawing since I was a little kid. Before I came to the U.S., I held a B. A degree in fiber art when I started to create mixed media through a series of experiments going beyond the traditions of 2D space, like painting and drawing into materials like textiles to 3D explorations. In 2019, I went to the U.S. and got a painting and drawing M.F.A at Pratt Institute in New York City last year. During my time at Pratt, it inspires me to explore and dig deeper into my identity as an Asian woman artist. After graduation, I worked in art administration in non-profit art organizations and foundations like ChaShaMa and The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts. Now I moved to Southern California to continue my art career as an artist and art educator.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Keep critical thinking and creative practice, also love your life. I think these three things were most impactful in my journey as an artist. For people who are early in their journey, it’s normal may struggle at the beginning, and so was I. Keep making art, and communicating with other artists to exchange opinions. But it is also important that don’t let social opinion, anxiety of age, or peer pressure influence your decision. Learn to let go of others’ opinions. BE HAPPY 🙂
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Being an artist is not easy and it needs you to balance the time between work and the artist’s career, and how to maximize your time after working to make art. What I can do is slowly and steadily deal with this.
Contact Info:
- Website:https://chloechen.portfoliobox.net/
- Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/chloechenstudio/
- Linkedin:www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-chen-421412212
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