Skyler Chen is a new voice in contemporary painting whose vivid, narrative-driven works explore the forces of desire, estrangement and loss at play in everyday life. Working with a stylised yet emotionally resonant figurative language, Chen’s paintings often depict enigmatic figures engaged in romantic encounters within symbolically charged urban settings. Layered with references to art history and social mores, Chen’s psychologically rich portrayals of contemporary existence resonates with a lineage of figurative painters who explore themes of queerness, alienation and the interplay between classical and modern aesthetics.
Chen graduated from the University of Utah with a fine art degree in 2006. Chen has recently participated in exhibitions at the X MUSEUM, Beijing (2024) and the Yuz Museum, Shanghai organised in partnership with Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Qatar Museums (2023). Chen’s work is in the collection of X Museum, Beijing; SUNPRIDE FOUNDATION, Hong Kong; Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection, Florida; and Forbes Collection, New York.
