🇨🇦 CANADA | 🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOMChris Klein

Chris Klein, born in 1959 in Britain, is a British artist living and working between Quebec and Ontario, Canada. He is internationally known for his hyperrealistic paintings of costumes, fabrics, and objects connected with theatre, film, fashion, and historical collections. His fascination with costume developed through his extensive career as a scenic artist for film and theatre, including positions at the Stratford Festival and the National Arts Centre in Canada.

Klein’s paintings transform garments into highly detailed studies of colour, light, texture, and form. Carefully observed folds, pleats, shadows, and surfaces become the central subjects, while the absence of the performers allows the costumes themselves to suggest stories, characters, and theatrical presence. His works draw on collections from institutions such as Kensington Palace and on designs from the worlds of theatre and fashion.

Since 1983, Klein has exhibited internationally, including at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. His distinctive approach combines technical precision with a fascination for craftsmanship, history, and the visual drama of costume.