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Drawing loosely upon a tradition of contemporary mystical realism, Dominic Chambers (b. 1993, St. Louis, MO; based in New Haven, CT) creates paintings that immediately reference literary narratives cited in books, various mythologies and Black history, both in its oral tradition and written account. His current practice is invested in exploring Black introspection, the Black body, and the construction of lived Black experiences, as seen through moments of quiet contemplation and meditation, reading, leisure, and camaraderie between friends. An avid reader since childhood, literature and the dialectics of language continues to play a major role in both his life and work. In his psychological figurative paintings, Chambers builds a relationship between history, painting, and the imagination to center his respective ideas of where and how to find joy through respite, one that is both real and longed for.

Chambers received his BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2016 and later, his MFA from the Yale University School of Art in 2019, where he studied painting. He has exhibited both in The United States and internationally, including Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK; MIAD Contemporary Gallery, Milwaukee, WI; and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Pittsburgh, PA. He has also participated in a number of residencies including the prestigious Yale Norfolk Summer residency in New Haven, CT and the New York Studio Residency Program in Brooklyn, NY.