Skyler Chen was born in 1982 in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. He graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Fine Arts in 2006. Currently, he lives and works in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His work often captures the unspoken tension between intimacy and solitude, a theme often explored in his practice. In the present lot, he intertwines classical elements with contemporary scene, crafting an image which stands in between familiarity and enigma. The figures in the present lot are dressed in contemporary attire, yet the colour palette, composition and subject matters are almost reminiscent of classical old master works from the 18th century.
In the present lot, every object is meticulously detailed and placed on the table filled with symbolic meaning. The juxtaposition of an erotic book with fresh fruit and blossoms suggests a fine contrast between private desires and the public facades. These elements act as narrative devices that reveal the inner world of the figures.
Chen’s exploration of queer identity is interwoven into the elements of this work. Despite the proximity of the woman and the man, there is a subtle emotional distance between them as their gazes are directed away from each other in different directions, which indicates disconnection. Their aloof expressions further underscore a sense of detachment. The image is dominated by a warm, earthy tone, evoking a sense of nostalgia. The use of light with soft shadows playing across the figures and objects adds an introspective quality as well as visual layers to the work. Overall, this work can act as an invitation to contemplate the complexities of identity and desire. It exemplifies the artist’s ability to convey the universal emotion of aloneness, meticulously captured in this canvas.
Skyler Chen has exhibited widely, including solo exhibition How far I would have to go to become myself from June to August 2024 at Massimo de Carlo Gallery in London, group exhibition Portrait of a Man from June to October 2024 at X Museum in Beijing, The Order of Nature from November to December 2023 at Yavuz Gallery in Singapore, solo exhibition GLANCE, Unveiling Hidden Desires at Massimo de Carlo from June to July 2023 in Paris, and Elsewhere from October to December 2022 at Platform China in Beijing.