Milano Chow’s practice explores sites and scenarios where reality and its constructs meet. Her intricately detailed drawings combine precise graphite renderings and collaged photo transfers, creating imaginary architectures and framed narratives that elicit stage sets. Based on architectural elevations and antiques, her recent drawings include ornate facades and elaborate clocks, often haunted by the presence of female figures, enhancing the implied voyeuristic nature of her work. Although influenced by the tradition of trompe l’oeil, Chow’s drawings defy true illusionism. Within her surreal compositions, framing elements such as windows and doors create an echo of pictures within pictures. These visual punctures within her otherwise shallow compositions are often obscured by darkness, suggesting the proximity of a nearby unknown.
Milano Chow (b. 1987, Los Angeles, California) lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. She received her BA from Barnard College in 2009 and attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2013. She has had solo exhibitions at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, CT; Bel Ami, Los Angeles; Adams and Ollman, Portland, OR; Chapter NY, New York; and Mary Mary Gallery, Glasgow; among others. Her work has been included in the Whitney Biennial 2019 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, and other group exhibitions at Jeffery Deitch, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA; Chapter NY, New York; Venus Over Manhattan, New York; STANDARD (OSLO), Oslo; Aspen Art Museum, Aspen; The Drawing Center, New York; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR; and the Drawing Room, London, & Modern Art Oxford, Oxford; among others. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
![<i>Tall Exterior (Alterations)</i>, 2022<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>38 ¼ x 15 in (97.2 x 38.1 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/29puHuxq88zkWDlksJYdSZ/9979b82dbb12d7e2311d6435ce8e1e2b/MC_2177_Tall_Exterior__Alterations_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Horizontal Exterior (Three Storefronts)</i>, 2022<br/>Graphite, ink, and vinyl paint<br/>11 ¼ x 16 in (28.6 x 40.6 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1GLbeHYW0eeKOjbc3VSLmy/d606c3a6bd51b681392813fc3772fe28/MC_2179_Horizontal_Exterior__Three_Storefronts_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Prima Facie</i>, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/23XuljpDuhra2huyJp5cBc/6b8b94a0b8b5fd9543058f54ec891572/MC_Aldrich_Install_3.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Facade (Delicacies)</i>, 2020-2021<br/>Graphite, ink, acrylic, and photo transfer on paper<br/>28 × 15 in (71.12 × 38.10 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4TS74rA3QLUefIvlvmRVkM/9f809b20ef23ba6542e6c2ddd9059ed0/SOMCH_D_2020_003.006.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Night Exterior with Stairs</i>, 2022<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>16 x 9 in (40.6 x 22.9 cm)<br/>18 1/4 x 11 1/4 (46.3 x 28.5 cm) (framed)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/77RWny64Uwn418ZTEI0DIk/fab3c131921a150cf128e43d1de5ac0d/MC_2180_Night_Exterior_with_Stairs.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Checkered Floor I</i>, 2020<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>12 × 40 ¼ in (30.48 × 102.24 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4k3v6WPPHJxX5k1P40QH9T/0708a95e535dab47333ebed2b1001d49/MC_Checkered_Floor_I.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Facade with Staircase</i>, 2020<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>24 x 39 in (61 x 99.1 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/6PJdK8Z7eirvLTLG9GO31l/1fa49ba84f09d1edd765943c8a8f727b/MC_Facade_with_Staircase.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Clock with Sphinxes</i>, 2021<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper<br/>12 × 8 ⅝ in (30.48 × 21.91 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/449kWDK9MZix11r4WagjrS/8bf423cedfff66f38dc6f7dabc271c62/MC_Clock_with_Sphinxes.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, Whitney Biennial 2019, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/3G3Zja9ZNES0u1bYxtJKg8/0d58c2d6ee2169ba57cd3e5132a0b93c/2019_BIENNIAL-152_copy.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Night Scene I</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>28 × 15 in (71.12 × 38.10 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/3kJu7cgB5OOHz9Wvb3jblN/4b06f5efd53af1a840c99ddbc1cb1069/1_MC_Night_Scene_1.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Three Columns with Leaning Figure</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>12 × 9 in (30.48 × 22.86 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1cwPAYoKXyMK1Vh1kDkM4W/db9b60a56e2b65d907163ee911c4949e/8_2019_MC_Three_Columns.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Mirror (Individualist)</i>, 2017<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper<br/>12 x 9 in (30.5 x 22.9 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5fmIiFP8EjtaLNJoa7MttX/1525498e5bbdf1a205aaadcf8fece7dc/MC_Mirror__Individualist__lrg.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Portal III</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper<br/>20 × 15 in (50.80 × 38.10 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/71XoB0CAYAjCn2qQpDh8mC/5a5d173806769dd4dacfe30ae07ab1b0/2_MC_Portal_III.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Portal II</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper<br/>20 × 15 in (50.80 × 38.10 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1FUzROCnFAsOuw24dWWRkk/19d99b806e98aa891abd817a87380c97/7_MC_Portal_II.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Room II</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper mounted to board and fabric<br/>10 × 8 ½ × 8 ½ in (25.40 × 21.59 × 21.59 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/zqTQfqaglxE3GHwUvFR2v/2fb259104b46eef31a995127e40bf1b2/3_MC_Room_II__1_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Room II</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper mounted to board and fabric<br/>10 × 8 ½ × 8 ½ in (25.40 × 21.59 × 21.59 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4RN8jofTkhIlYMVz03dAOU/abecb3e8669bd54768d37b9a5ef03b98/4_MC_Room_II__2__copy.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Floor Plan I</i>, 2019<br/>Graphite, ink, vinyl paint, and photo transfer on paper<br/>30 ½ × 26 ¼ in (77.47 × 66.68 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/6iblstVrkQIRJqci1DLE9J/c0efeef134e20188970c60a8d540afe9/12_Milano_Chow_Floor_Plan_I_2019_email.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Entryway (Push/Pull Doors)</i>, 2017<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe and photo transfer on paper<br/>32 × 24 in (81.28 × 60.96 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/399YIrnBgnoWpEAuw0p9Lr/46649fac77abf09afd4bc63de4465886/17_Entryway__Push_Pull_Doors_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Shoes (Oxford, Loafer, Monk)</i>, 2014-2015<br/>Graphite on paper<br/>34 x 25 in (86.40 × 63.50 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/6bl7JsxVDMiZfraWNmNhNL/39d49d3bce54900a4b76ab6c1a73da47/MC_Shoes__Oxford__Loafer__Monk_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Mirror (Checkerboard)</i>, 2017<br/>Graphite, ink, Flashe, and photo transfer on paper<br/>20 x 15 in (50.80 × 38.10 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4UvPR0Qyl9Ke19ZshCNenh/bf259db04d10a4aba0a9114621710bae/18_MC_Mirrror_Checkerboard.jpg?w=800&q=80)