About Cha

Chanette Manso

aka Cha

Biography

Chanette Manso is a multidisciplinary artist best known for her light painting oeuvre that transform, defy and enhance reality. She examines escapism within her surroundings through her dreamlike pictorial prints and video shorts infused with colorful moving neon symbols made of light such as her signature lilies or the universal heart. She utilizes a systematic, labor intensive process, where she evolves in front of the camera choreographing mise-en-scenes, with handmade light painting tools, themed headpieces, transformed umbrellas and collections of antique bottles or busts to bridge past and present. Emerging from the glow of the nineties raves scene, Manso’s visuals are however not limited to floral, geometric or pop icons but encompass concepts exploring the psychological impact of the digital age relating contrasts between what is perceived as real and unreal.

Born from one French and one American parent in 1966 Beijing China, Manso now resides in New York. As early as 1993, she was featured in the Parisian Palais de Tokyo Photography Museum and while living in San Francisco, she worked for high tech companies such as Ebay and for the editorial Wired Magazine. Recognition and accomplishments include; winning first prize for the Mediterranean Photo Contest, exhibiting in UNESCO for the International Day of Light, co-founding the French Light Painting League, writing about her philosophy « Why Light Painting is so Alive » for German magazine Licht, publishing « Velvet Warriors » a book featuring feminine icons,  and producing « Wear Dark Clothes : Light Painters » Brooklyn group show. 

Moving to New York has allowed Manso to shine her lights with tech fashion designers ThreeAsfour, The Consortium for Robotics & Research, Creative Tech Week, House of Yes, Chashama and Wieden & Kennedy Advertising. Chanette Manso (aka Cha) is moving towards large-scale public participation works while pursuing abstracts in her Bushwick studio. 

Artist Statement

Traditionally photography is considered to document what is real, offering a point of view, while I prefer to experiment with long-exposure photography to suggest what appears unreal, pushing perception. The paradox allows me to blend the concept of ‘believe what you see’ or ‘see what you believe’. Although we often see manipulated images in our digital age, all my works are created entirely in-camera, in one shot. This technical challenge comes to life through dance-like movements, where repetition and improvisation can be felt simultaneously. What unites my sometimes dreamlike, sometimes surreal visuals, is the thread of light.

 

 
Curriculum Vitae
 

Solo Exhibitions

2020 Gardenscapes, Artist Studios, Brooklyn NY

2019 Bridging Time, Bushwick Open Studios, Brooklyn NY

2018 Velvet Warriors, BX Gallery, Brooklyn NY

2015 Lightscapes, Valbonne Art Fair, Valbonne FRANCE

2015 Le Coeur à l’Envers, L’Univers Photo Gallery, Nice FRANCE

2014 Projections, Le Hublot Cultural and Educational Center, Nice FRANCE

2011 Inkblots, La Rétine Argentique Showroom, Marseille FRANCE

2010 Renaissance, Art C2 Gallery, Vence FRANCE

Group Exhibitions

2023 West Chelsea Festival of Art, Just a Moment, New York NY

2023 The Living Artist Gallery, The Last Supper, Brooklyn NY

2022 Thames Art Center, Wear Dark Clothes : Light Painters, Brooklyn NY

2019 Creative Tech Week, Seasoned Graffiti, Manhattan NY

2019 Solas Gallery, Chamasutra, Manhattan NY

2018 The GreenPoint Gallery, Upside Down Hearts, Brooklyn NY

2018  L’UNESCO, LPWA International Light Painting Show, Paris FRANCE

2018 Cultural Center Paris EP7, LFLP Clock Animations, Paris FRANCE

2018 Asturias Film Festival, Esquisse me1&2, SPAIN

2016 La Ferme d’En Haut, La Ferme Lumineuse, Villeneuve d’Ascq FRANCE

2016 Congresso International Light Art, Oviedo, SPAIN 

2016 ArtMobilis,  Augmented Reality Meduse, Nice FRANCE

2015 Astana Art Fest, LPWA International Light Painting Show, KAZAKSTAN

2015 A l’Ecu de France Gallery, Expo Lumière, Virofly FRANCE

2015 L’UNESCO, LPWA International Light Painting Show, Paris FRANCE

2014 ArtMobilis, Augmented Reality Abundance, Nice, FRANCE

2014 L’Embarcadère, LPWA International Light Painting, Aubervilliers FRANCE

2014 LPWA International Light Painting Show, Hong Kong, CHINA

2014 Parc Phoenix, Entrez Dehors!, Nice FRANCE

2013 Espace Pierre Cardin, LPWA International Light Painting Show, Paris FRANCE

2010 Galérie Art C2, Renaissance, Vence FRANCE

2009 Palais des Congrès, Renaissance, Grasse FRANCE

2004 Galerie NB Viborg, Galerie NB Roskilde, Personne dans la montagne, DENMARK

1999 Burning Man, Permanent Art Collection, Nevada USA

1997 Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Museum, Low-rider Art, SF CALIFORNIA

1995 Bay Guardian Exhibit and Auction, Moon over Bay Bridge, SF CALIFORNIA

Prize

2014 Le grand prix Jucien CLERGUE, Caisse D’Epargne Place Masséna, Nice FRANCE

Residency

2017 Museum Residency with LFLP, Musée Berge, Isère FRANCE

Events and Festivals

2024 New Year’s Eve House of Yes, The Quantum Curve, Brooklyn NY

2023 West Chelsea Festival of Art, Just a Moment, New York NY

2023 City of Gods/HOY, Play with Light, Brooklyn NY

2023 Speaker at High School, Long Island, NY

2023 Chashama Gala/Rama, The Heart Project, Manhattan NY

2022 City of Gods/HOY, Ethereal Passports, Brooklyn NY

2022 Wieden and Kennedy Advertising, Race to Space, Manhattan NY

2021 Chashama Gala/Rama, Choose an Object, Manhattan NY

2021 Creative Performances, Who Dreamed Who, Dixon Place, Manhattan NY

2021 House of Yes and Kostume Kult, Karnaval/Freak Circus, Brooklyn NY

2020 Pop-up Xmas Performance, at Mika Bushwick, Brooklyn NY

2019 2022 City of Gods/HOY, Gods and Goddesses, Brooklyn NY

2019 Giant Light Painting,Veggie Mandala, Brooklyn Rooftop NY

2018 BX Spaces, Shan Shui, Live Performance, Brooklyn NY

2018 Asturias Film Festival, Asturias SPAIN

2015 Astana Art Fest, Astana KAZAKHSTAN

2014 Le Hublot, Chanette Light Painting, Nice FRANCE

2014 La Cité des Sciences, Light Painting Festival LPWA, Paris FRANCE

2013 Mediterranean Photography Festival, Le Sept Off, Nice FRANCE

2011 Film Festival Cinéma Brut, Mouans-Sartoux FRANCE

2011 La Mer Veilleuse, Explose, Marseille FRANCE

2007 Vendredis de la Poissonnerie, Renaissance, Grasse FRANCE

1995 Bay Guardian Art Auction, San Francisco CALIFORNIA

1993 Palais de Tokyo Museum, Photofolie II, Paris FRANCE

1992 Pont Louis Philippe Gallery, Photofolie I, Paris FRANCE

1991 Elysée Montmartre Theater, Dream Zapping, Paris FRANCE

Publications

New York : Julian Magazine, Light Painted World, FAF Magazine.

Spain: LightArtOVD, Oviedo News.

France : Nice-Matin, L’Express, Le Nouvel Observateur, 7 a Paris.

San Francisco : Bay Guardian, Wired Magazine, New Media, Yoga Journal.