Kenji Chai

Originally from the city of Sandakan in North Borneo, street artist Kenji Chai is known for his vibrant and bold graffiti and murals that reflect humour and mischief with sprinkles of positivity. Chai was invited to TIMEPieces by Red Hong Yi.

 

Artist Statement

Title: Welcome to Chaigo Land

This artwork reflects the hope I have for a post-pandemic world. While humans have had to retreat indoors and lives have been lost, wildlife has roamed more freely and nature has been given a reset button. It is my hope that this experience will lead us to reflect and care about nature more. Chaigo, the blue dog in the artwork, is an alter-ego of mine. Chaigo is a stray dog who has had to defend himself to stay alive, but he is an eternal optimist who will use his artistic gifts to bring hope to everyone.

 

About the Artist

Growing up, Kenji Chai was hugely influenced by Marvel comics, Street Fighter and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and these influences continue to affect his imagination, as is evident in his art. He tags most of his work with a character called “Chaigo”, his alter-ego of a dog inspired by strays that live on streets. He taps into their instincts to hustle, survive and thrive. His latest mission is to bring images of nature into cities to build awareness of wildlife extinction. He advocates a positive mindset and sees art as a form of meditation. He lives with the motto, “I live to paint, not paint to live”. His list of clients includes Netflix, Uniqlo, Puma, BMW, Vans and Swatch, and his work has been spotted in cities around the globe including New York, Miami, Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo, India, Ulaanbaatar, and Kazakhstan. Chai is currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

@mr_kenjichai

View on OpenSea here.

Contact us at letters@time.com.