About Chris Combs is an artist and technologist based in Washington, D.C who creates provocative technology.
“[Chris] Combs is a local artist who specializes in work that’s savvy to, but also skeptical of, technology. He does gallery shows often, but always with new inventions and often previously unexplored subjects. ”
—Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post, July 21, 2023
In a Nutshell
Through handmade and custom-fabricated hardware, software, and enclosures, the electronic sculptures of Chris Combs respond to themes of surveillance, control, and algorithmic bias—and the viewer, using facial recognition and motion sensing. He works with a wide range of practices to create circuit boards, software, and enclosures for his sculptures, which both embrace and question technology.
Chris Combs is an artist based in Washington, D.C and Mount Rainier, Maryland who creates provocative technology. His show Supercycle (IA&A at Hillyer, 2023) focused on cycles of hype, such as AI and cryptocurrencies. Industry Standards (McLean Project for the Arts, 2023) featured 18 works made from reclaimed and surplus industrial components, reflecting on disruptive technologies, surveillance, and environmental destruction. Lossiness (VisArts, 2021) explored the boundaries of human perception. The Algorithm Will See You Now (Transformer, 2022) addressed algorithmic bias and failings of “AI” products. Judging Me Judging You (DCAC, 2018) dealt with surveillance and control, and the 35 machines in Maelstrom (Rhizome DC, 2021) spread rumors about their visitors. Madness Method, a public art collaboration with David Greenfieldboyce, was part of 2021’s Georgetown GLOW.
Chris is a two-time recipient of the DC CAH Arts and Humanities Fellowship program and was shortlisted for the 2021 Aesthetica Art Prize. He is a graduate of the Corcoran College of Art + Design and was a photo editor for National Geographic. He joined Otis Street Arts Project in May, 2021.
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Solo Shows
- Supercycle: July 7–30, 2023, at IA&A Hillyer in Washington, D.C.
- Reinvention Garage: June–July, 2023, at the Arlington Art Truck in Arlington, VA.
- Refactoring: May 9–July 14, 2023, at Prince George's Publick Playhouse in Cheverly, MD.
- Industry Standards: April 13–June 10, 2023, at McLean Project for the Arts in McLean, VA.
- The Algorithm Will See You Now: July 9–23, 2022, at Transformer in Washington, D.C.
- Lossiness: September 3--October 17, 2021 at VisArts's Concourse Gallery in Rockville, MD.
- Maelstrom (Rhizome DC): January 16--February 15 at Rhizome DC in Takoma, D.C.
- Judging Me Judging You: April 27--August 12, 2018 at the DC Arts Center.
Group Shows
- Repetition: September 9–October 15, 2023 at Ruby Projects in Fairfax, VA.
- DCAD Faculty and Staff Exhibition: August 18–October 22, 2023, at Delaware College of Art and Design in Wilmington, DE.
- @Home: June 28–August 20, 2023, at Otis Street Arts Project in Mount Rainier, MD.
- Color Speaks: June 9–August 27, 2023 at the Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington, DE.
- Rending... Rendering: February 25–March 26, 2023, at Glen Echo's Popcorn Gallery.
- The Barlow Gilotty Collection: February 4–May 21, 2023, at AU Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C.
- Digital Directions: February 1–23, 2023, at Maryland Federation of Art in Annapolis, MD.
- Sequence: January 12–February 19, 2023, at Touchstone Gallery in Washington, D.C.
- 2022 Fall Salon: November 12–December 11, 2022, at Target Gallery in Alexandria, Va.
- Address Earth: October 13–December 4, 2022, at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT.
- Enter the Void: October 7–30, 2022 at LibertyTown Arts Workshop in Fredericksburg, VA.
- Turning Tides: July 23–September 11, 2022 at Target Gallery in Alexandria, Va.
- Lights Out: July 11–September 10, 2022 at Brentwood Arts Exchange in Brentwood, MD.
- Wide Open 12: June 18–July 17, 2022 at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition in Brooklyn, NY.
- 10th Annual Juried Exhibition: June 15–July 17, 2022 at Cerulean Arts in Philadelphia, PA.
- Fresh: May 14–June 11, 2022, at Otis Street Arts Project in Mount Rainier, MD.
- Fragile Beauty: May 9–July 1, 2022 at DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Washington, D.C.
- Sculpture NOW 2022: April 22–June 3, 2022, at Harmony Hall in Fort Washington, MD.
- Decades Ahead: Visions of the Future: April 2–May 1, 2022, at Glen Echo's Popcorn Gallery.
- Artspace Juried All Media Show: March 25–April 16, 2022 at Artspace in Richmond, VA.
- 2022 Spring Juried Show: March 18–May 22, 2022, at Tamar Hendel Gallery in the CREATE Art Center in Silver Spring, MD.
- Small Wonders 2021: December 2--23, 2021 at Maryland Federation of Art in Annapolis, Md.
- Finding Home: November 15--January 7, 2022 at Harmony Hall in Fort Washington, MD.
- 2021 Fall Salon: November 10--December 12, 2021 at Target Gallery in Alexandria, VA.
- Multiples: November 6--December 18, 2021 at "but, also" in Washington, D.C.
- DC Art Now 2021: October 11--November 19, 2021 at DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Washington, D.C.
- Take a Number: September 25--December 18, 2021 at Arlington Arts Center in Arlington, VA.
- Touch: 30th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition: September 8--October 30, 2021 at Strathmore Mansion in North Bethesda, MD.
- Sugar Rush: July 10--August 1, 2021 at Bad Candy in Washington, D.C.
- Shine: June 11--August 29, 2021 at Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center in Solomons, MD.
- Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition 2021: May 28–September 5, 2021 at York Art Gallery in York, U.K.
- Controlled Burn: May 8–June 5, 2021, at "but, also."
- 100 Years in the Present: May 7–May 30, 2021, at Glen Echo's Popcorn Gallery.
- Georgetown GLOW 2021: April 9--June 27, 2021, in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
- DC DADA Presents: Acts of Resistance Through Absurd Resilience: March 14-28, 2021 at Rhizome DC in Takoma, D.C.
- Tamar Hendel Gallery 2021 Juried Exhibition: March 1--April 30, 2021, at Tamar Hendel Gallery in the CREATE Art Center in Silver Spring, MD.
- Movements, Moments: January 23--March 7, 2021, at Target Gallery in the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA.
- DEEP FAKE: November 15--January 5, 2021, at SUPERCOLLIDER in Los Angeles, California.
- Global Conversation: September 1-28, 2020 at the United Nations' UN75, f.99, and Ikono Space.
- Foundry Artist Choice 2020: August 5-30, 2020 at Foundry Gallery.
- Moving Forward: June 20--August 23, 2020 online at Glen Echo.
- Art & Technology 4.0: March 5–26, 2020 at TEJAS Gallery.
- Enter : Future: December 2, 2019--January 17, 2020 at Gallery 102.
- Everyday Objects: November 1--December 6, 2019 at Studio Montclair.
- When Night Falls: October 11, 2019--January 26, 2020 at Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center.
- Unfinished Business: September 28--November 23, 2019 at VAE Raleigh.
Events
- Pop Out Art Show: September 23, 2022, at Jackie Lee's in Washington, D.C.
- WPA Collectors' Night 2022: June 3--17, 2022, online, benefiting Washington Project for the Arts.
- WPA High Frequency: July 30--August 13, 2020, online, benefiting Washington Project for the Arts.
- Sound Scene XIII: June 27--28, 2020 online.
- BTPxMonochrome Art Fair: June 26--July 12, 2020, online, benefiting Halcyon and By the People.
- DCAC 30th Anniversary Party: October 12, 2019 at The Cheshire DC.
- Sound Scene XI: July 7--July 8, 2018 at the Hirshhorn Museum.
- Buffer Overflow: April 9--April 25, 2018 at Fab Lab DC.
- Sound Scene X: July 8, 2017 at the Hirshhorn Museum.
Open Hang Shows
- 1460 Wallmountables 2022: August 12--September 11, 2022 at the DC Arts Center.
- Off the Walls: February 27, 2022 at Hole in the Sky in Washington, D.C.
- 1460 Wallmountables 2021: July 9--August 22, 2021, at the DC Arts Center.
- Spotlight@Touchstone: December 10--February 10, 2021 online at Touchstone Gallery in Washington, D.C.
- 1460 Wallmountables 2020: August 8--October 18th, 2020, at the DC Arts Center.
- 1460 Wallmountables 2019: July 26--August 16, 2019 at the DC Arts Center.
- 1460 Wallmountables 2018: June 29--August 10, 2018 at the DC Arts Center.
- 1460 Wallmountables 2017: July 21--September 10, 2017 at the DC Arts Center.