Collection: CHEMIN HSIAO

In my artwork, I want to capture the personal emotions toward subjects or atmosphere, via the elusive connections from my memories and cultural background. I sit with plants, animals and its surroundings with time, moment by moment, and let myself be unconsciously revealed from the process of painting. Seeking for such a silent moment when one could totally emerge into mindful actions and forget oneself, I would like to hear my inner voice truthfully this way.

The paintings could be motivated by a pattern or shadow on the snow which reminded me of the first winter I had in the city, or a group of American Robin birds flying up and down trees, propelled me to bring the picture to totally different directions compared to how I set out to do originally. This organic process allows me to construct each image with time molding the possibilities of the final visuals.

The method of watercolor painting serves as instant emotion recorders for specific locations, events, people or emotional memories. Via woodblock printmaking techniques, I transform the watercolor painting images into editions of prints.

Chemin Hsiao (Taiwan) is a visual artist based in Queens & Brooklyn at the Chashama BAT Studio Space. He received his BFA & MFA from the School of Visual Arts, and primarily works with water-based mediums such as watercolor and acrylic pigments on paper.

He is the inaugural winner of 2021 Artist Banners Open Call aiming to support the AAPI community for the Noguchi Museum, and a recipient of the New Work Grant & ArtSite Public Art Commissioning from Queens Council on the Arts. Since 2019, he has completed several commissioned public murals for the Queens community including Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Flushing.

Besides his studio practice, Hsiao has taught in-person and virtual visual arts workshops to students from kindergarten to seniors for organizations such as the Met Museum, Noguchi Museum, Queens Museum, Queens Botanical Garden, Abrons Arts Center, ProjectArt, Queens Public Library, and Nan Shan Senior Center.