Chris Klein 

 

 

Chris is a British artist. Exhibiting his work across Europe and North America, he is most recognised for his series of costume paintings. These are mostly from theatre and film but also from the world of fashion, plus Royal and museum collections.

In recent years he has been invited to Kensington Palace and allowed to paint from their Royal Ceremonial collection, and to the archives of the Victoria and Albert Museum. He was also invited to the studios on Zandra Rhodes, where he has painted from her fashion collections, as well as the shirt made famous by Freddie Mercury, which he wore for his Bohemian Rhapsody world tour. Chris is also talking with the film Director, Tarsem Singh, to paint some of the designs of Eiko Ishioka, an Oscar winning designer, who’s widow is also helping Chris to gain access to her stunning costumes.

In 1983 Chris had his work accepted by the Royal Academy of Arts in London, UK for their prestigious Summer Exhibition. He has since won numerous other awards and been featured in many magazines and other articles. As well as producing his own work, he is also a scenic artist for film and theatre.

For 10 years he has served as the head of scenic art at both the Stratford Festival and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Chris has worked on many sets, creating backdrops and related artwork and has contributed to major productions in London's West End and Broadway. He has painted for many major Hollywood films
and many shows for the Cirque du Soleil.

It was his work in theatre where he first started to paint the costumes from shows. It proved to be his most popular series, and he has recently been painting from the most successful theatre shows in the world, “Phantom of the Opera” and most recently, Disney’s “The Lion King”, which Disney placed on the cover of their “Behind the Curtain” brochure to celebrate their 20 th anniversary in London.

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Solo Exhibitions

2019: Bernarducci Gallery, New York
2017: Westland Gallery, London, Ontario, Canada
2016: Agora Gallery, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
2013: Galerie Richelieu, Montreal, Canada
2013: Galerie Luz, Montreal, Canada

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Selected Group Exhibitions

2021: Musée de la Civilisation de Québec, Quebec, Canada
2021: CK Contemporary, San Francisco, USA
2020: Place Des Arts, Montreal, Canada (Postponed)
2020: National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Canada (Postponed)
2020: Einaudi Palace, ArteLibre 20 th Anniversary show, Chivasso near Turin, Italy (Postponed)
2020: Asolo near Venice, ArteLibre 20 th Anniversary show, Italy (Postponed)
2020: American University Art Museum in Washington DC, USA
2020: CK Contemporary Gallery, San Francisco, USA
2020: Art Palm Beach, Anthony Brunelli Gallery Booth, Florida, USA
2019: Context Art Miami, Anthony Brunelli Gallery Booth, Miami, USA
2019: Bernarducci Gallery, “New York Cool” New York, USA
2019: MEAM Museum, ArteLibre 20 th Anniversary show, Barcelona, Spain
2019: Bantierra Palace, ArteLibre 20 th Anniversary show, Zaragoza, Spain
2018: Pulse Miami, Bernarducci Gallery Booth, Miami, USA
2018: Agora Gallery, Summer Show, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
2017: Agora Gallery, Summer Show, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
2016: Nicole Longnecker Gallery, “Industrialism in the 21st Century”, Houston, USA
2015: Dacia Gallery, New York, USA
2015: Art Fusion Galleries, Miami, USA
2014: AFK Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal 
2013: PWD Gallery, Waterloo, Canada