Guanyi Chen (b. 2001, Shanghai) is a painter whose work, astonishingly detailed and meticulous, is inspired by the rhythms and patterns of systems found in the natural and man-made world. She is particularly attracted to the imperfections found in those rhythms; what they are, where they formed, and what impact they might have on the greater whole.

Guanyi's work evokes both microcosmic and macrocosmic landscapes. Her mark making manifests itself in fine lines indicative of natural growth patterns or as computer-like arrangements of countless minute dots. Through prolonged, meditative sessions of mark making, she explores the relationship between systematic precision and natural irregularity. Her paintings emerge from a deeply focused state where the physical ritual of repetitive action, where she is ‘in the zone’, invokes an almost transcendental state. This similarly serves as an investigation into how the mind processes, stores, and reconstructs visual information, a key facet of Guanyi's practice.

Guanyi graduated from the BA programme at the Slade School of Fine Art. Her Salon catalogue can be viewed here.