The Distillery Gallery is pleased to present the first solo exhibition of Sunny Moxin Chen, a Boston-based multidisciplinary artist. In Wandering Be-ing, Chen explores ideas around home, materials, and space. Born in Moscow before later moving to Beijing, San Jose and then Boston, her concept of home was never a grounded one. The sense of being somewhere while also belonging there was never permanent. But Chen has always made a point to take advantage of the immediate feeling of being. As the places she called home continued to shift, she began to pay attention to what materials a given place provided. Creating work within these varying limitations became an important part of her practice. While the act of artmaking feels subconscious to her, the sourcing of materials is a very conscious part of her process. In addition to found objects, Chen uses paint to create geometric and biomorphic shapes to establish a feeling that is simultaneously artificial and organic. Although paint is a key medium in her work, the word “painting” feels limiting to Chen. While paintings are traditionally considered images on a surface, Chen’s work addresses what happens when you remove the plane from the painting. How does a painting become an object that interacts with the space it exists in?
On view: September 1 – October 15, 2022
Opening Reception: Thursday September 1, 7 - 9pm
PRESS
At Distillery Gallery, Sunny Moxin Chen’s “Wandering Be-Ing” Presents a Meandering Journey
Boston Art Review
