About
Colette Rae Chien
I am an artist born in Boston, MA. I graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2021, where I studied photography, poetry, and wildlife ecology. My work encompasses all art platforms and gives a visceral perspective into what it means to be the self. I hope to clue in my audience on the magic of everyday nuances that surround us. Poetry to me is the paradox of reality, all-enveloping yet in a place just above real life. With my photography I try to do the same. Even though it is the art rooted most in reality, my intentions are to subvert the viewer into second guessing the space. In mostly panoramic settings, I create a world beyond reality as a type of portal or escape.
While my work may try to emulate other worlds, I also want to remind my audience that planet earth is the only one we have. Themes of environmentalism often show up in my work, attempting to dissolve the idea of nature and humanity as disparate or opposing forces. Humankind’s fate is linked to that of earth’s, and while we may think our lives are different from a tree’s, a deer’s, a worm’s, you’d be surprised at the commonalities we share. Inciting empathy and inviting action toward preserving and protecting our planet is something I try to make come across in all my work.