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.
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.