STONE CHUN SHI
About the Artist
Stone Chun Shi
Stone Chun Shi is a New York–based artist and musician, born in Nanjing, China, in 1963. He moved to New York in 1987. His work spans painting, mixed media, music, moving image and digital creation.
At the center of his practice is Stonecube: a visual language built from individually formed units of oil paint. Seen up close, these units reveal color, texture and physical rhythm. At a distance, they gather into recognizable portraits, landscapes and cultural images.
Three Periods of Exploration
His early paintings and mixed-media works explore the figure, emotion and material. After arriving in New York, he took part in the city’s experimental art scene, exhibiting at venues including The Clocktower, Alternative Museum and White Columns.
Around 2010, his currency paintings marked the emergence of Stonecube. The language subsequently expanded to portraits, religious imagery, landscapes and reinterpretations of historical works. His digital paintings extend these investigations into another medium.
Painting and Music
Painting and music are connected but distinct parts of Stone’s creative life. The sustained concentration of studio painting contrasts with the intensity and collaborative energy of rock music. Both are ways of giving form to lived experience.
His work has been shown in the United States, Europe and Asia. Publications, interviews and the 2026 Memor Museum exhibition in New York document the continuing development of his practice.