About Artists on Site

Asia Society Texas developed the Artists on Site project in 2020 as an initiative that transforms the galleries into studio and project spaces for Houston-based artists. The idea emerged from conversations starting in early 2020 with many artists in Houston and throughout the country to develop ways that Asia Society Texas could support them and their practices. Through studio visits and related programs, visitors can connect with these artists and the critically important insights they contribute.

About the Artists

Claire Elestwani uses paper, ceramics, and pliable materials to create research-based “body objects.” Through the making of these objects, they investigate and document manifestations of embodied meaning, particularly as it relates to identity formation and the urban environment. “Embodiment” is an essential part of their practice: the idea that language (and thus, our ability to share meaning with one another) is inextricably linked to our physical bodies. Claire holds an MFA from the University of Houston and a BA from Rice University. Claire has published writing in Design & Culture, and has exhibited at Anya Tisch Gallery (Houston, Texas), Blaffer Art Museum (Houston, Texas), Blaffer Reading Room (Houston, Texas), Dishman Art Museum (Beaumont, Texas), Lawndale Art Center (Houston, Texas), Beaux-Arts de Nantes (Nantes, France), Alabama Song (Houston, Texas), DUST Compound (Marfa, Texas), Matchbox Gallery (Houston, Texas), Emergency Gallery (Houston, Texas) and the Buffalo Bayou “Field Office” (Houston, Texas).

Artist Website | Instagram

Chayse Sampy is a mixed media, Afro-surrealist painter. She is currently an artist-in-residence at Sanman Studios in her hometown of Houston, TX. She received her MFA from Florida State University where she was the recipient of multiple awards including the Brian Andrew McLachlin Arts Enrichment Fund and the Jim Boone Endowment Scholarship. She received her BFA from Louisiana State University where she was the recipient of the Hearst Scholarship, the Undergraduate Painting Scholarship, and the Annual Black Scholar Award. Sampy has exhibited regionally and nationally with recent projects including group exhibitions at Pen + Brush (2024), the FSU Museum of Fine Arts (2023), the Contemporary Art Center New Orleans (2023), ArtFields 2023, the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (2023), the Ritz Theater and Museum (2023), Nia Cultural Center (2022), and Working Method Contemporary Gallery (2022).

Artist Website | Instagram

Exhibitions and their related programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher. Major support comes from The Brown Foundation, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment Inc. Generous funding also provided by The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, National Endowment for the Arts, and Texas Commission on the Arts. Free Thursday exhibition admission presented by Regions Bank. Additional support is provided by The Clayton Fund, Leigh and Reginald Smith, Ann Wales, the Wortham Foundation, and through contributions from the Exhibitions Patron Circle, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional visual art to Asia Society Texas.

Presenting Sponsors

Nancy C. Allen
Leslie and Brad Bucher
Chinhui Juhn and Edward Allen

Program Sponsors

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.