Biography

Mike Chavez was classically trained as an animator and in a career spanning over 16 years worked for such studios as Disney, Warner Brothers and Dreamworks. In 2006 he turned his focus to painting  and quickly gained kudos for his skill, uncompromising subject matter and biting humour.

Chavez’s work infuses heavy political commentary with meticulous artistic skill to confront racism, society’s hypocrisies and the complexities of the human condition. In 2008 he was a finalist for the Fleurieu Art Pize and in 2009 he was nominated as a finalist for the Archibald Prize, Australia’s most prestigious portrait award. He has exhibited in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Belgium, London and New York. His work has appeared in Vogue Living, Belle, Urbis, Lino, Empty and Art Monthly.