Daniel Chen

Daniel Chen's approach to painting draws inspiration from expressionism. He applies, dissects, and assembles layers of paint on the canvas before rearranging them into new compositions and shapes.

Biography of Daniel Chen

Daniel Chen was born in 1997 in Huntsville, Alabama. Currently, the artist lives and works in Shanghai, China.

He received his BFA in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design.

His first solo exhibition in China is "Flowers in the Mirror," which was held at Capsule Shanghai in 2023. Chen has also exhibited his art in various group shows, including "Spring Antidote" at Blanc Art Space in Beijing, "Half of Tank" at Really Supercar in Shanghai, "Motionless Capture" at Studio Gallery in Shanghai, "Love Me Tender" at Memorial Hall in Providence, RI, "Small Works" at Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, MA, and many more.

Daniel Chen has received several awards and residencies, including Lowe Mill Artist in Residence, Lowe Mill Arts, Huntsville (2016); Dumfries House Award, Royal Drawing School, Dumfries House Scotland (2017); Studios Midwest Residency, Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg (2018); Florence Lief Award, RISD (2019). 

Daniel Chen's Art Style

His practice is grounded in a sincere portrayal of life's experiences, using abstraction to divert attention from traditional still-life painting. The intuitive painting process unfolds stroke by stroke, marking the passage of time and subverting the initial expectation of joy stemming from the playful use of vibrant colors and a fusion of diverse painterly techniques.

Chen's artistic style pays homage to expressionism, where he accumulates, dissects, or constructs layers of paint on the canvas, then reconfigures them into new compositions and forms. For the artist, these concealed strata encapsulate the passage of time, as he approaches oil paint with an almost sculptural perspective, continuously layering, shaping, and reapplying it.