Brown Eyes Black Ink

September 1 to October 8, 2011

Brown Eyes, Black Ink features the latest works by rising artist Kris Chau in a variety of media, including paintings, illustrations, installations, and drawings. Chau depicts wildlife, plants, and female figures with exaggerated lines, curves, and swirls in a style reminiscent of the lighthearted children’s book illustrations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

What makes Chau’s works unique is her integration of stylized, handwritten text and poetry with playful and sometimes fantastical, hybrid images of nature and human forms.Contemporary art magazine High Fructose has hailed her works for their ability to effectively communicate the thoughts and feelings of her subjects to the viewer: “The texts appear to be linked to the characters portrayed in the works, allowing the reader into their assumed state of minds. The figures also often act as vessels for plant life, and occasionally sprout flower-like tumors from their hair and skin. This inclusion of flora and fauna imagery cements Chau’s poetic work within a unique feminine perspective.”

 

Kris Chau was born in Oahu, Hawaii and now resides in Philadelphia. She was trained as an illustrator at California College of Arts and Crafts. She has done a wide range of editorial work, murals, installations, and work in the fashion industry. Her selected client list includes The New York Times, the Seattle Stranger, BC Shoes, Urban Outfitters, TopShop, Day Dream Nation, Foam Magazine, Swindle Magazine, and Free People. She is currently a member of the prestigious studio and artist collective Space 1026. Chau has been featured in solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Philadelphia. Her work was also featured in numerous group exhibits in New York, San Francisco, and Milan.

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