For a while now we have been eyeing New York (technically Canadian) emerging artist, Chloe Wise. Her comedic critique on the fashion world and mainstream trends make for some very witty art works. From hyperreal carb-friendly sculptures to hysterical self-reflective portraits, to a collection of unique non-usable tampons, Wise is seemingly her own biggest fan – but her popularity has been growing within the past year.
Having graduated from Concordia University in 2013, Wise has already been featured in over 15 exhibitions in New York, London, Canada, and Sweden. As of now, her claim to fame was when her friend/model, India Menuez wore one of her pieces, “Bagel No. 5” to an event for Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld Fall 2014 collection. The fashion lovers at the exclusive party assumed the bag was a clever campaign tactic by Lagerfeld, until later discovering that the oil paint, urethane, and miscellaneous object created “fashion piece” was in fact a sneaky critique on fashion culture by artist, Chloe Wise.
“Being able to make anything legitimized as a trend because it has a brand name attached to it completed my critique,” Said Wise. “Watching the fashion world unknowingly embrace a critique of itself was hilarious and awesome.”
Pierced P’ep’es (2013), Chloe Wise (Assorted nipple piercings and latex paint on silicone, on Domino’s deluxe pizza)
Wise can be a polarizing figure in the art world, as some find her humor and pop culture commentary refreshing, while a few stuffier critics roll their eyes the way one would at an attention-hungry younger sister. The 24-year old artist responds rather maturely about the comedic aspect of her work telling ELLE“[…] if you can find humor in something and take a moment to rethink it, you can take a step back and look at your values from a different angle […] Art is a really important vessel for social change, and social change begins with thought.” Comedy aside, her work is visually appealing, seemingly well made, and ripe with social critique.
“High art is a money-making vehicle. We’re not making art in a vacuum. We’re not shopping in the woods. For me to critique it, I’m also participating in it. I satirize the things that I love and know well and find problematic.”
Sometimes Irregular (2014), Chloe WiseGirls Gone Smiled (2014), Chloe Wise (oil paint, urethane, silicone, t shirt)
If you follow her Instagram account, you can see that Wise has been striking a pose throughout Europe this summer, as her work is currently part of an exhibition at the Galerie Sebastien Bertrand in Geneva, Switzerland. She has also announced that her work will be featured in a solo exhibition at the Retrospective Gallery in Hudson, New York later this year.
