Lauren Hana Chai

Lauren Hana Chai is a Korean-American artist with a fascinating family story. She was the first of her family to be born in the USA and grew up in the tropical islands of Hawaii, an influence that is clear to see in her colourful style of surrealist painting. Her paintings depict a wide range of subjects, from nudes in sexually suggestive poses to images of animals and nature. Interestingly, she refuses to limit herself to one technique or methodology, instead experimenting with everything from contemporary abstract practice to traditional Korean folk art.

Lauren Hana Chai’s Career as an Artist

Lauren crossed the pacific for her education at the Academy of Art Museum in San Francisco, but she now lives and works in Honolulu. In 2018, she completed a residency at Impact Hub in Honolulu, Hawaii, and she has been featured in NBC News, KBS World Radio, Houston NPR, and the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Her style of figurative painting is informed by a firm knowledge of established techniques, and a sense of rebellion achieved by breaking these rules.

Exhibitions and Awards

You’ll find Lauren’s surrealist art in group exhibitions across the United States, particularly in California and Hawaii, and more recently she has had a number of solo exhibitions. She has also earned herself a number of prizes, including first place in an award titled ‘INTERSECTIONS’ by Kahilu Theatre in Hawaii.