about the artist

 

Felipe Chavez is a figurative artist born in Colombia, now working and living in London, England. Through his paintings created with Indian Ink wash on thick 638gsm HP paper, he uses his own body to explore the male form and his’ relationship with sexuality and the space around him.

Arriving to the UK at the age of 17, he lived in a small apartment in north London with his mother, who worked several jobs and often took felipe to assist her. Shortly after arriving, He enrolled into an art college course but due to his limited emigration status, he was unable to continue his art studies into higher education and decided to pause his art practice to direct his attention in building a career within a different field,.

Felipe restarted his artistic pursuit at the start of 2018 with his first group exhibition in an East London cafe. but balancing an artistic career whilst also working in a demanding formal job during the day was not easy.
Since then, his ever-growing self-taught artistry, commitment and passion have allowed him now to fully dedicate his time to the practice of art. He currently works primarily with galleries based in the United States, from Portland to Boston and Miami. Through these partnerships, he has also showcased his paintings in several art fairs all over the USA and sold to many well-known collectors all over the world.

It is with his conceptual and honest self-portraits, alongside consistent self-experimentation, he invites the viewer to engage with his physical introspections where he studies the layers of identity and belonging.

Artist Statement

“I want to show how both making and being the subject of art affects me as a man and as an artist. It is a continuous journey of exploring my own body and the struggles that come with feeling different and trying to find where I belong – how by being completely open and revealing through my art, I can create a sense of power and control over who I am and who I choose to exhibit. 

My painting comprises different techniques of applying Indian ink onto paper, focussing on forming juxtaposing balances of ink wash and bold dark lines that reveal realistically shaded bodies in enigmatic and surreal environments.  

Recently I have explored what self-portraiture means to me, challenging the relationship between ‘the model’ and ‘the artist’ by creating narratives where the male figures in the paintings, though all physically resembling the artist, take on separate identities of their own. Some live their life enjoying the exhibitionism of being watched by a man, others feel conflicted with the joy of feeling overly exposed and vulnerable, the rest simply continue intimately exploring their bodies unaware of being the subject of anyone else’s gaze. 

My process starts with taking photographs, alone – this period of self-study then influences the subsequent paintings. Because in that moment, nothing else matters other than the artist and his creative journey. A new person is only invited into the space when they become the viewer, the voyeur within the finished piece.””

Exhibitions, Projects & Fairs

  • Capital Group Taking Pride In Art

    2023 | ‘Capital Group Head Quarters’ London

  • Iridescent Art Fair 2022

    2022 | ‘Iridescent Art Fair’ Miami, FL. Art n Folly Gallery

  • Unapologetic Sexuality

    2022 | ‘Unapologetic Sexuality’ 12th Street Gallery, London UK

  • Tom Of Finland Art & Culture Fair

    2022 | ‘Tom Of Finland Art & Culture Fair’ London UK

  • IFPDA Fair

    2022 | ‘IFPDA’ New York City, NY. Childs Gallery

  • Hamptons Fine Art Fair

    2022 | ‘Hamptons Fine Art Fair’ Hamptons, NY. Art n Folly Gallery

  • Male

    2022 | ‘Male’, Galerie Du Lendemain, Paris, France

  • The Terrence Higgins Trust Auction 2022

    2022 | ‘The Terrence Higgins Trust Auction’, Christie’s Auction House, London

  • Reimagining the self

    2022 | ‘Reimagining the self’ Elisabeth Jones Art Centre, Portland, OR, USA

  • SCOPE Art Fair

    2021 | ‘SCOPE Art Fair’ Miami, FL. Art n Folly Gallery

  • Closet To Quarantine

    2021 | ‘Closet To Quarantine’ Childs Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

  • Davy Pittoors Queer Boutique

    2021 | ‘Davy Pittoors Queer Boutique’ Retail Partnership, Margate UK

  • The Terrence Higgins Trust Auction 2021

    2021 | ‘The Terrence Higgins Trust Auction’, Christie’s Auction House, London UK

  • Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters 2020

    2020 | Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London UK

  • The Terrence Higgins Trust Auction 2020

    2020 | ‘The Terrence Higgins Trust Auction’, Christie’s Auction House, London UK

  • Talented Art Fair 2020

    2020 | ‘Talented Art Fair’, Old Truman Brewery, London UK

  • Henry Miller Fine Art Winter Showcase

    2019 | ‘Henry Miller Fine Art Winter Showcase’ Coningsby Gallery, London UK

  • It's Art Call

    2019 | ‘Its Art Call 2019 Shortlist Exhibition’ Old Truman Brewery, London UK

  • Roys Art Fair’

    2019 | ‘Roys Art Fair’, Old Truman Brewery, London UK

  • New Artist Fair

    2019 | ‘New Artist Fair’, Old Truman Brewery, London UK

  • The Hollow Man

    2019 | ‘The Hollow Man’ Solo Exhibition, The Lighterman Restaurant, London UK

  • 508 Contemporary Landscapes

    2019 | Contemporary Landscapes, 508 Gallery, London UK

  • Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters 2019

    2019 | Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London UK-Winsor & Newton Product Prize Winner

  • The Nude

    ‘The NUDE’, Candid Art Trust, London, UK

  • Wildlife Artist of the Year 2018

    2018 | ‘Wildlife Artist of the Year’, Mall Galleries, London UK- Urban Category Winner