Gavin Chai: Ode to Solitude

Gavin Chai (b. 1997, Malaysia) is based in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau.

Chai captures enigmatic scenes of contemporary life through his careful composition and deft treatment of colour, light, and shadow. Some works appear almost as if transported from another time – gesturing toward the heightened intensity or religiosity of early European painters such as Fra Angelico or Poussin – and consequently, like Chai himself, seem somewhat at odds with modern existence. Chai absorbs himself in a constant state of learning – whether pouring over great tomes of art history, contemplating the existential depths of Russian literature or the significance of ancient Chinese proverbs, exploring the chemical properties of paint, or teaching himself a new language. Most recently, the artist has turned his hand to ceramics – his careful eye attuned to the human form as he shapes the clay to create the particular slope of a back or gentle curve of an arm. So, while Ode to solitude is certainly melancholic in tone – a reflection of the artist’s own contemplative nature – it also speaks to the richness and sovereignty of an individual’s inner world and acts as reminder to seek enlightenment in all its various forms.

Chai has a Certificate in Applied Technology (Carpentry) from Unitec Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Auckland University of Technology. He has been a finalist in the Molly Morpeth Canaday Painting and Drawing Award, the recipient of the Zinni Douglas Merit award, Walker and Hall Art Award – Waiheke Community Art Gallery, and was the first artist to ever receive three awards at the Cleveland National Art Awards – Otago Art Society. Recent exhibitions include 2024 Aotearoa Art Fair with Föenander Galleries; All the stars in the sky at Page Galleries; Strange Paradise at Föenander Galleries; Trees (Gavin Chai, Megan Houching, Ekaterina Dimieva) at Malcolm Smith Gallery; Interiors at Föenander Galleries; Idyll (Tori Beeche, brunelle dias, Gavin Chai) at Page Galleries. His works are held in collections including Porirua City Council, The Stevenson Collection, and the New Zealand Portrait Gallery.