#14 Chris Skylark

STUDIO PROGRAM 2024

Chris Skylark (b. 1996, Atlanta, Georgia) is 99 Canal’s new resident artist. He will use Studio 4 to produce works for his upcoming solo show, Swallow the Lake, in Times Square Space (1500 Broadway, fl. 14) which will open on Friday, September 13th, and run through September 27th, 2024.

Swallow the Lake will be Skylark’s debut solo show in New York. It will showcase his first comprehensive body of work, featuring over twelve unique works that blur the boundaries between fashion photography and fine art. The exhibition’s title, Swallow the Lake, references the collection of poems by the American writer, artist, and professor Clarence Major (b. 1936, Atlanta, Georgia), published in 1970. Grounded in their shared upbringing in Atlanta, the metaphor of the lake—representing a call to fulfilment— serves as a tool for Skylark to access, explore, and reconcile with his past and roots.

Skylark's background in music and fashion direction informs the photographed subjects by blurring the boundaries between creative industries while revealing a more intimate and vulnerable perspective. Although most of these figures have been extensively photographed, their outward, yearning, or, at times, hidden gazes uncover invasive fleeting moments that convey a deeper level of authenticity than most publicly consumed images.

Text by Ginevra de Blasio

About the Artist

Chris Skylark is an artist and creative director who launched his photographic career through projects for Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, and Metro Boomin. After consulting and directing for Grammy-winning artist Daniel Caesar, Skylark decided to focus on his artistic career while simultaneously continuing to manage the 17-year-old rising musician Tana.

Studio Program | 99 CANAL

The Studio Program is a one to four-month program open to emerging and mid-career artists based both within and outside New York City.

Individuals are invited to work at 99 Canal based on their necessity for studio space and their potential impact on the neighborhood and our community. A key feature of the studio program is its strong focus on peer-to-peer engagement, recognizing the transformative power of collaboration and knowledge exchange.