Biography
Perry Chen is an artist and the founder of Kickstarter.
He approaches his work with an openness to form and context, having used art to explore technology, and technology to help democratize the funding of creative work.
Principally, Chen’s work revolves around systems. His studio practice often explores how we negotiate a world of growing complexity and uncertainty, using research and archival material as entry points for engagement.
Drawing on his interest in systems, his work also focuses on the creation -- and possibilities -- of new formats for generative social exchange and collaboration. In 2009, Chen created the website Kickstarter as a way for fellow artists and musicians to raise money for their creative work. Since then, over 200,000 creative projects have been funded through Kickstarter.
Chen is also known for his engagement around the problems of profit-centric systems; specifically the need for better structures, tools, and institutions to enable a more generative and less extractive society. In 2015, he spearheaded Kickstarter’s conversion to a Public Benefit Corporation, legally formalizing the company’s long held commitment to its mission -- to help creative projects come to life -- over optimizing for profit.
A long-time critic of the attention economy, Chen served on the Knight Commission on Trust, Media, and Democracy from 2017-18 to examine and make recommendations in response to the collapse in trust in U.S. democratic institutions, media, journalism, and the information ecosystem. In 2018, he was honored by The Center for Democracy & Technology for his commitment “to shaping a world where the internet and technology improve lives and propel human creativity.”
Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.
He was born and raised in New York City, and is currently based in Paris.
Select awards, fellowships & residencies
2020. Honoree, Cooper Hewitt’s National Design Award, Design Visionary, Kickstarter.
2018. Honoree, Digital Visionary Award, The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT).
2017. Commissioner, Knight Commission on Trust, Media and American Democracy.
2016. Director's Fellow, MIT Media Lab.
2014, Resident, Laboratorio para la Ciudad, Government of Mexico City, Mexico.
2013. Honoree, TIME 100: The Most Influential People of 2013.
2013. Honoree, PS122 / Performance Space, Shining Star Award.
2010. Fellow, TED 2010.
Select interviews & conversations
“The Art Angle Podcast: Kickstarter Founder Perry Chen on Art in the Age of Hypercomplexity” Artnet News. Feb 5, 2021.
“Artist and Kickstarter founder Perry Chen on the boundlessness of art.” The Creative Independent. Jan 27, 2021.
“WE AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET. Perry Chen & Walter Isaacson.” Perpetual Novelty - Conversations. Jan 20, 2021.
“Tracking in the Age of the World Wide Web” Perry Chen & Monica Narula from the Raqs Media Collective. Jaipur Literature Festival. Dec 18, 2020.
“Creative Explorations into Data, Tech and Society” Perry Chen & Refik Anadol, Mutek Montreal. September 8, 2020.
“Battle for the Internet” Perry Chen, Melissa Chan, Yuan Yang & Marietje Schaake. Oslo Freedom Forum 2019. May 27, 2019.
“Is Kickstarter All One Big Social-Practice Artwork?” Artnet News. May 1, 2019.
“Idealism, Inc.: Kickstarter Founder and Artist Perry Chen on 10 Years of Empowering Creatives to Follow Their Wildest Dreams” Artnet News. April 30, 2019.
“Unleashing Conscious Capital.” SkollWF 2019. April 10, 2019.
“Perry Chen and composer Tyondai Braxton on finding creative focus” TCI Transmission 03. July 1, 2018.
“James Bridle / Perry Chen” Pioneer Works Journal (Intercourse 5), 2017.
“How I Built This with Guy Raz. Kickstarter: Perry Chen.” NPR, July 31, 2017.
“Perry Chen by Gideon Jacobs” BOMB Magazine. June 2, 2015.
“Perry Chen. The Role of Creative Failure” NEA ARTS, Feb 19, 2015.
“In Conversation | Perry Chen and Theaster Gates on Community-Driven Creativity” The New York Times Style Magazine. May 30, 2013.
“Innovation in Art and Space” Perry Chen & Theaster Gates, moderated by Thelma Golden, 2013 Aspen Ideas Festival.
“Kickstarter and the Economics of Creativity”. Perry Chen & Walter Isaacson, 2013 Aspen Ideas Festival.
“Perry Chen” Fantastic Man. Spring / Summer 2012.