Zhaoju Chen

About

Born in a family deeply entrenched in art and design, Zhaoju has been profoundly influenced by his parents from a young age. However, Zhaoju’s journey in art has always been an extensive experiment, driven by a desire to explore various art forms and to observe contemporary world issues from an artistic perspective.

Zhaoju spent three years at The Affiliated High School to China Academy of Art, honing traditional drawing skills. This foundational period was followed by a pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree at the University for the Creative Arts, where Zhaoju delved into contemporary digital art practice. After that, Master’s degree at the Royal College of Art offered a better understanding of the entire art industry.

Over time, Zhaoju’s working style evolved from traditional paintings to diverse art forms such as experimental music, photography, installation, and performance. The ideas behind Zhaoju’s works often stem from daily experiences, with a particular interest in the issues brought by cyberspace, or hyperreality called by Jean Baudrillard. This has become a central theme in Zhaoju’s current artistic endeavors.

Zhaoju believes in the potential of digital spaces to become the primary medium for future artworks. Although he has rich interest in digitisastion of art, he still creates pieces in traditional art forms regularly. For him, drawing is very different from conceptual practices. It is more like a method for Zhaoju to analyse himself from an emotional perspective, while conceptual works often appeal to him on a more rational level. He eager to merge both the knowledge of contemporary and traditional art practice, creating works that can be widely appreciated by a broader audience.

Zhaoju aspires to become a professional art practitioner and curator. The process of making works for him is the journey of analysis, both psychologically and philosophically. Logic is a vital element for his works. He has a strong determination pursuing coherence and structure, ensuring that each piece communicates its ideas and concepts clearly. This dedication to logical consistency is evident across the diverse media he explores, from visual arts to performance.

‘Creating works for me isn’t just a study of myself, but also a study of everyone. Such a process is a method of building connections with others.’