Chaney Manshu Diao (b.1996, China) is an artist, poet and DJ whose research-based practice challenges the conception of identity from the lens of trans* studies through body, linguistics, desire and pleasure, electronic music and movement. Chaney’s current research direction drifts from body horror, to mutation and bodily materiality, and is theoretically built upon xenofeminism and new-materialism. Chaney’s recent work centres around two major themes - “capacity” and “becoming” which emphasises the influx of synthetic into organic, techno into bio. Chaney deliberately works with a wide range of mediums including performance, installation, AI, VR, sound, etc, and regards this approach as a strategy to demolish solid categorisations relating to power, constancy and structure in art. Following her BA and MA in fashion in central saint martins, Chaney is now on her second postgraduate specialised in Fine Art Media in Slade. Chaney had her solo show Pleasure 41 as part of the annual east end Nocturnal Creature art festival in 2019. Recent artist workshop. Was invited to lead a workshop for Power to change Programme at TATE, London (2021). Recently showing at: Straffordshirest Gallery, Barbican art trust, set ad AMP gallery. Chaney’s conceptual approach to fashion, clothes and identity has been featured by magazines including i-D, Numero, Vogue, BoF, WWD, French Fries Magazine, Schon Magazine.
Education
Slade School of Fine Art, Master of art, 2021 - 2023
Central Saint Martins, MA Womenswear, 2019 - 2021
Central Saint Martins, BA FDM, 2016 - 2019
Awards
SLADE MA sarabande award, 2021 - 2023
Ye Lin Scholarship for MA Fashion at Central Saint Martins, 2019 - 2021
JNBY award for BA Fashion Final Year, 2019
Selected Exhibitions and Events
2023
6-10 Dec 2023, London, UK
'bpm' and 'dysfunctioned dec 2' as part of Acal festival 3 curated by Studio/Chapple and SON OF CRAFT at Staffordshire St Gallery.
12-15 Oct 2023, London, UK
'human stool, please sit' at Pretty Doomed Art Fair hosted by Ugly Duck, co-curated by Queer Art Project
3 Oct 2023, London, UK
'Sub/org Re/Mix 2.0' as part of if splash has your whistle at IKLECTIK
8-10 Sept 2023, London, UK
'OCCLUDE' at video night hosted at Matchstick Piehouse
10-18 June 2023, London, UK
'Threshold' degree show at Slade School of fine art
30 Mar 2023, London, UK.
'subverting institution remix' at AMP Gallery.
23-26 Mar 2023, London, UK.
'pleasure 41' and '(feat. energy flash)' at Straffordshirest Gallery. A four day event funded by National Lottery and Arts Council England.
10-11 March 2023, London, UK.
'untitled 1,2,3' at Barbican Arts Group Trust.
2-4 Mar 2023, London, UK.
'beyond capacity, photography' at old bromptong gallery.
19th - 30th Jan 2023, London, UK.
' in memory of the broken wine glass' and live performance '(feat. Energy Flash) at Set Kensington.
2022
11th - 17th Nov 2022, Hampton Wick, UK and Online.
hybrid group show curated by Fresh Salad Art at RuptureXIBT (physical) and Kunstamatrix (Virtual).
6th-11th Oct 2022, London, UK
'who are they now?', Slade School of Art Interim Show.
16th Sept 2022, London, UK
'am, is, are', group show Prelude to Space at Stokey Popup.
10th Aug 2022, London, UK
'The thread of words, in thinking about Christina Sharpe' Live poetry performance at Avalon Cafe, as part of ACIERAGE zine launch.
8th - 18th Jun 2022, London, UK
'bordering Tartan' the dress print, Group Show Significant Other at The Art Bypass Gallery, curated by Sweet 'Art.
May-June 2022, London, UK
'Performing Dictionary 2, the script', an exhibition of bookwork SPIIIIINELESS at UCL Art Museum.
May 2022, London, UK
'bordering Tartan' the hanging piece, Group Show at Worlding Project.
May 2022, London, UK
“inhale, at the gateway. Air enters, your lung, oxygen enters, your blood, your head overloaded” , Safe House group show at the edge of the safe house.
April 2022, London, UK
'Performing Dictionary 2' and 'In Memory of the Broken Wine Glass', the Tub Gallery, London.
2021
Oct, London, UK
Interactive workshop on dismantling identity codes, as part of the Power to Change programme at TATE, supported by UNIQLO TATE Play and The Great Imagining.
2020
Sept, London, UK
Group exhibition My House is anIsland with Arthousehaus.
March, Derby, UK
Group exhibition Stand Up Exhibition at Artcore Gallery , supported by ART COUNCIL ENGLAND and designcore.
March, London
Group exhibition DECRIMINALISE SEX WORK at central saint martins exhibition space, supported by student Initiative Fund and Arts Students’ Union for Beyond Street charity.
2019
JULY, London
Solo Exhibition hosted by 5th Base Gallery as part of the annual east end Nocturnal Creature art festival, presented by White Chapel Gallery
JUN, London
Group Exhibition SHOW TWO exhibition presented and hosted by Central Saint Martins
Published Writing
BLANK_03 'identity'. (2022)
The Paper, by Good Press. (Dec, 2021)
the Cheese grater zine. (Dec, 2021)
https://cheesegratermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Disruption.pdf