Anne Chu
1959–2016

Anne Chu was born in 1959 in New York City. Her parents came from China, and her father was a mathematics professor at Columbia University. When she was in middle school, her family moved to Westchester County, north of the city. She graduated from the Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) in 1982 and received an MFA from Columbia University in 1985.

Chu's works, influenced by the combination of eastern and western elements, create a "strong dichotomy between that which is modern and ancient, abstract and figurative, unknown and fantastical". She applies multiple techniques that "unite form, content, and color" in a "seemingly effortless, cohesive manner". Despite being primarily a sculptor, "creating monumental works from wood, ceramic, and papier-mâché", “Chu also makes watercolors and monotypes”. In these mediums she chooses the themes of "landscapes, castles, and knights", creating exotic works that seem abstract but thematically connect her works through figurative elements.

“Ms. Chu was the recipient of the 2001 Penny McCall award and was awarded grants from the Anonymous Was a Woman Foundation and the Joan Mitchell Foundation”. “Her work has been widely exhibited, including at the Dallas Art Museum, the Berkeley Art Museum, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art”. Her work may also be found in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.