Cecile Chong

Cecile Chong

K E N I S E B AR N E S F I N E AR T

Cecile Chong new encaustic paintings January 11 – February 23, 2019

A multimedia artist working in painting, sculpture and installation, Cecile Chong focuses on cultural assimilation and the development of individual identity. Chong uses encaustic, a medium dating to from the 5th century, to create cross-cultural contemporary narratives. By juxtaposing appropriated images from sources including vintage children's books or found objects such as circuit board parts, her work refers to interculturalism and transculturation. Born in South America to Chinese parents Chong learned about her own cultural heritage as an outsider and the entanglement of culture, history and interpretation are themes that are of special interest to her. .

on the cover: Caged In, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 6 x 8 inches $400.

Bully, 2018

Bully, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 6 x 8 inches, $400.

Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The word comes originally from the Greek word “enkaustikis” meaning to “burn in” and the process dates back to the 5th century. The liquid or paste is applied to a surface—usually prepared wood. Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium and heat to fuse them to the surface.

photo credit: Lucie Murphy

Cecile Chong in the studio

DNA Matching, 2018

detail

DNA Matching, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 11 x 8 inches $1100.

detail: High Level Negotiation

High Level Negotiation, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 11 x 8 inches $1100.

detail: Isolated Examples

Isolated Examples, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 25 x 12 inches $2400.

Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The word comes originally from the Greek word “enkaustikis” meaning to “burn in” and the process dates back to the 5th century. The liquid or paste is applied to a surface—usually prepared wood. Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium and heat to fuse them to the surface.

Caged In, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 6 x 8 inches $400.

photo credit: Anjuli Rathod

Chong has received fellowships and residencies including the Joan Mitchell Center, Wave Hill Winter Workspace, the Lower East Side Printshop, MASS MoCA Studios, Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant, The Center for Book Arts, Socrates Sculpture Park, AIM - Bronx Museum, Urban Artist Initiative NYC, Aljira Emerge and the Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant. Public art installations with NYC Parks include a traveling exhibition titled EL DORADO – The New Forty Niners at the Lewis Latimer House Museum (Queens), 2018, in Sunset Park (Brooklyn), 2017, and in the Bronx, Staten Island and Manhattan in the coming years. Solo exhibitions include FiveMyles Plus Space, Selena Gallery, BRIC House, Emerson Gallery Berlin, Germany, Honey Ramka Project Space, Figuresworks, Praxis International Art Project Space, Corridor Gallery and ArtSPACE. Group exhibitions include El Museo del Barrio, Nevada Museum of Art, The Bronx Museum of Arts, Hunterdon Museum, CUE Art Foundation, Wave Hill, Kenise Barnes Fine Art, Sue Scott Gallery in the US and the Cynthia Corbett Gallery in London. Cecile's work is in the collections of El Museo del Barrio, Museum of Chinese in America, The Center for Book Arts and Citibank Art Advisory. Her work has been reviewed in Artnet News, Huffington Post, El Diario La Prensa, Singtao Daily, 3dotswater.com and The New York Times. She received an MFA from Parsons The New School for Design in 2008, an MA in education from Hunter College, and a BA in Studio Art from Queens College. Her early schooling took place in Ecuador, Macau and China. Cecile lives and works in New York and is currently part of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Studio Program.

Rules of Trade, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel, 18 x 18 inches, $2400.

detail: Rules of Trade

detail: Nearly Full Capacity

Nearly Full Capacity, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 11 x 6 inches $600.

Competing Interests, 2018 encaustic (pigmented beeswax) and mixed media on panel 25 x 12 inches $2400.

detail: Competing Interests

Please contact the gallery for images of the work included in the exhibition or for images from other series of works by the artist.

Kenise Barnes Fine Art offers complimentary consulting services, artwork on approval, delivery and installation services.

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