Bio
Alexandra Chiou is a visual artist who draws on nature and memory to create intricate collages that give physical form to abstract concepts and feelings such as hope, joy, beauty, resilience, and wonder.
Alexandra has always looked to nature’s contours and horizons as symbols of hope during challenging times and life transitions, and she is constantly inspired by the quiet power and resilience of nature. Through her works, she strives to instill a sense of peace, calm, and wonder within individuals by transporting viewers into the magical worlds she creates.
Her works on paper have been exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including Abigail Ogilvy Gallery (Boston, MA), Hillyer Art Space (Washington, DC), Newport Art Museum (Newport, RI), Weatherspoon Art Museum (Greensboro, NC), and the US Embassy in Ethiopia. She currently lives and works in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
alexandrachiou.com
@alexandrachiou
Statement
My latest series was made as a means of coping with the recent loss of my father. I draw on nature and memory to create layered works on paper that celebrate his life, legacy, and lasting memory. Each layered collage evokes feelings of hope, love, joy, and wonder that defined his wonderful life and our final years together.
I am drawn to paper as it is a very understated and resilient material. It can be fragile and delicate but also strong and sturdy. I work with hand-cut paper to create dimensional collages that explore the threshold between painting and sculpture. I paint, cut, and arrange various shapes and colors as if I am piecing together a puzzle; each shape, line, and color is a hint, trace, and impression of nature and memory.