Profile 

Cyril Gaaman Chen (they/them) is an artist-researcher and animator based between Hamilton, Ontario with roots from Regina, Saskatchewan, and a diasporic relationship to southern & canton China. Cyril is currently a PhD student in Communications, New Media and Cultural Studies at McMaster University exploring queer and diasporic speculative visual production and multimedia design. 

                 Cyril’s research/artistic methods seeks to work within critcal and reflexive decolonial and accessible praxis and relations. Their visual languages often merge experimental stop motion animation filmmaking with multimedia design and sound art as which aims to facilitate discussion and theoretical and methodological engagements for Asian diasporic audiences and western feminist, crip and queer communities. 

                  Collaborative and independent projects which Cyril has worked on have been supported by the Canada Council of the Arts, Saskarts, and have been screened and exhibition at Canadian and international establishments such as the Halifax Animation International Animation Festival, Vector Festival, the 72nd Berlinale, and Neutral Ground Artist-Run Centre. Their public dissemination often also includes digital literacy workshops, including digital archiving and digital production workshops for cultural and community organizations such as the McKenzie Art Gallery, and film production and visual storytelling workshops for the Saskatchewan filmpool and the Dunlop Art Gallery. 



Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, student) Communications, New Media & Cultural Studies, 
McMaster University (2025 - present)


Master of Arts (MA) Communications and New Media, McMaster University 

Honours Bachelor of Animation (B. Anim.)Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning 

Expanded Media, liberal arts and sciencesNova Scotia College of Art & Design (visiting student)


Employment

Research Assistant
Sari-Sari Xchange, Centre[4]
Hamilton, ON and Toronto, ON 
2025 -  present



Teaching Assistant
Department of Communications and New Media
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
CMST 1A03, 2TM6; MEDIAART 1A03, 2B06, 2G03
2023 - present

Communications Coordinator & Consultant
Select organizations: the Saskatchewan Filmpool, STOPS to Violence Saskatchewan, Government of Saskatchewan (Ministry of Government Relations)
Regina, SK
2017 - 2023

Archives and Gallery Assistant
Neutral Ground Artist-Run Centre
Regina, SK
2020 - 2021

Animation Filmmaker & Multimedia Artist
Select clients and organizations: Hi-Vis Films, CBC Creators Network, Canada Council for the Arts
Self-employed
(since 2019)

  • Lead curation, programming, marketing, 
    & coordination for Pixel Room
  • Interactive and multimedia web development and design





Methods & Praxis

Illustration
Design
Animation
Performance
Writing
Sound
Sculpture
Installation


Exhibitions

(upcoming) Panel to Panel, group
Ultricies Ultricies,
Congue Nisl
2024

Pixel Room
Curator
Dictumst Ligula,
Porta Libero
2024

kunpeng sightings 
Molestie Aenean,
Facilisis Tellus,
Porta Libero
2024

Factory
Parturient Felis,
Pharetra Nibh,
Porta Libero
2023

emergent
Adipiscing Nunc,
Tincidunt Tristique Congue,
Vestibulum Porta Libero
2023

Member’s Show and Sale
Imperdiet with Quam Sodales,
Donec Tristique Porta Libero
2023

Thoughts of a Digital Archivist
Cursus Tempus,
Porta Libero
2023

Postmodern Bazaar
Gravida Congue
2023

Don’t Trust a Skinny Chef
Acrylic on canvas
5.4 ft by 2.3 ft
The Caligari Project, Festival of German Expressionism
Regina, SK
Sept - Dec 2016



Conferences

Vestibulum Inceptos Gravida’, Ornare Review,
by Tincidunt Nisl
2024

‘Ullamcorper Faucibus (Congue) Euismod’, by Ligula Parturient, Bibendum Review Porta Libero
2023

Dictumst Tristique, Facilisis Magazine, Edition Two, Porta Libero
2021

Auctor Adipiscing Art Magazine, Porta Libero
2020

Sollicitudin Ornare Magazine,
Porta Libero
2020                  

Press

Vestibulum Inceptos Gravida’, Ornare Review,
by Tincidunt Nisl
2024

‘Ullamcorper Faucibus (Congue) Euismod’, by Ligula Parturient, Bibendum Review Porta Libero
2023

Dictumst Tristique, Facilisis Magazine, Edition Two, Porta Libero
2021

Auctor Adipiscing Art Magazine, Porta Libero
2020

Sollicitudin Ornare Magazine,
Porta Libero
2020                 

Film Credits

Our Lives in the Toxic Blume (Director, Animator)
Factory Media Centre (Hamilton ON), Dunlop Art Gallery - Sherwood Branch (Regina, SK)
2024


Transfusion (Director, Animator)
Queer City Cinema (Regina, SK), Bradford Queer Film Festival (Bradford, UK), Saskatchewan Independent Film Awards (Regina, SK), Homegrown Film Festival (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), University of Winnipeg Film Festival (Winnipeg, MB), 2023-2024 | Bradford Queer Film Festival | Bradford, UK | November 2023 | Screening with select animator Q&A |https://issuu.com/castlesinthesky/docs/bqff_2023_programme  | Microbeaf experimental animation festival | May 18, 2023 | screening and interview for animated short |https://thebeaf.org/ 2023

Queens of the Qing Dynasty (2D animator)
2022

Awards & Funding

Tempus Egestas Nibh Vestibulum
Facilisis: Ultricies Ornare Ligula
2021

Rhoncus Auctor Ornare; Tincidunt Tristique, Porta Libero
2020
Site of Cyril Gaaman Chen
Welcome to some of my select works and online CV Links
experimental website
, Email
, Instagram
kunpeng
February , 2023 - present
Lorem Ipsum...
Authors: Zeus Tutu & Tito Penrose
Edited by: Dusty Acres & Mitch Glitch
92pp, Hardback, 24 × 32 cm
ISBN: 978-82-697000-0-0
Printed by: Cargo® Press Ltd

3.1
3.2
3.3
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Our Lives in the Toxic Blume
August 24 2042
Lorem Ipsum...
Lorem Ipsum...

Authors: Zeus Tutu & Tito Penrose
Edited by: Dusty Acres & Mitch Glitch
92pp, Hardback, 24 × 32 cm
ISBN: 978-82-697000-0-0
Printed by: Cargo® Press Ltd

3.1
3.2
3.3
[...] Vestibulum et dignissim magna. Nullam at ultrices felis. Suspendisse facilisis sagittis sem sit amet tempor. Nam sit amet nibh et enim laoreet porta sit amet vel purus. Maecenas augue velit, feugiat in maximus id, auctor vel ex. Integer placerat massa nec tellus convallis aliquet. Nam lobortis lectus mi, vel molestie neque dictum at. Vivamus sed sapien: fermentum, fermentum, metus ut, efficitur nunc. Pellentesque sit amet ex sed est dapibus vestibulum. 
Mom’s Garden
August 24 2042
Lorem Ipsum...
Lorem Ipsum...

Authors: Zeus Tutu & Tito Penrose
Edited by: Dusty Acres & Mitch Glitch
92pp, Hardback, 24 × 32 cm
ISBN: 978-82-697000-0-0
Printed by: Cargo® Press Ltd

3.1
3.2
3.3
[...] Vestibulum et dignissim magna. Nullam at ultrices felis. Suspendisse facilisis sagittis sem sit amet tempor. Nam sit amet nibh et enim laoreet porta sit amet vel purus. Maecenas augue velit, feugiat in maximus id, auctor vel ex. Integer placerat massa nec tellus convallis aliquet. Nam lobortis lectus mi, vel molestie neque dictum at. Vivamus sed sapien: fermentum, fermentum, metus ut, efficitur nunc. Pellentesque sit amet ex sed est dapibus vestibulum. 
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