Known collectively as CHIAOZZA (pronounced like “wowza” or “yowza”), American artists Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao are known for their playul approach to art-making. With their work varying from paintings to sculptures and installations, they’ve exhibited in both solo exhibitions and group shows around the US, as well as a variety of art and design venues around the globe. But whatever they do, and wherever their art takes them – playfulness is key.
“Play is one of the most important foundations of our practice together,” they stressed in an interview with Art of Choice. “Play is a tool for working together within a loosely structured arena,” they add. “When we play, we enter into a realm that acknowledges reality and knowingly diverts it. Play forces us to constantly shift our perception into a realm that brings to light the wondrous, the magical, and the humorous in the everyday. Play questions what’s possible and explores new potentials.”
It’s this experimental attitude that drives their work, making room for new discoveries. “We take our play very seriously, and we apply a rigor and a focus to playful ideas that help projects realize a different potential,” say the artists.
Symbolically, play was also what brought the two together. “When we met, part of getting to know each other was through playing drawing games and doing craft projects together,” they recalled. “We started to take this play more and more seriously, and realized that there was an audience for what we were doing.”
With more than 35k fans on Instagram, there is, indeed, an audience for what they’re doing.
