Bex McCharen
November 2026
Interdisciplinary Artist
Miami, FL
Bex McCharen (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist, fashion designer and founder of the inclusive fashion label Chromat. Their work creatively reimagines climate optimism and queer joy. They studied at the University of Virginia School of Architecture and are based in Miami, FL.
McCharen was awarded the Smithsonian National Design Award, was recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 “People Who Are Reinventing the World” and was honored in the OUT 100 as one of the LGBTQ’s communities’ brightest voices. Their work has been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Vogue. Collaborations include Beyoncé, Intel, Disney, Reebok, MAC and MIT.
They gave a TED Talk on inclusive design, and have spoken at SXSW, Harvard, Parsons, Pratt and the Fashion Institute of Technology. They have been an artist-in-residence at MASS MoCA, the Studios of Key West and Santa Fe Art Institute. McCharen curated ‘Queer Joy’ at the MoMA PS1 and their work has been shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
As a Miami resident, McCharen has facilitated design and art workshops at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, Lotus House women’s shelter, the Miami Workers Center and is currently an artist in residence at Miami Cancer Institute.
BIO
2025/2026 AIRIE Fellows
2025/2026 AIRIE Fellows
July 2025 Sterling Rook
August 2025 Thandeka Mfinyongo
September 2025 Lee Pivnik
October 2025 Jewel Rodgers
November 2025 David Rahahę•tih Webb
December 2025 The Honourable Elizabeth A. Baker
January 2026 Jean Shin
February 2026 Shenny De Los Angeles
March 2026 Daveed Baptiste
April 2026 Ashia Ajani
May 2026 Coco Villa & Sheherazade Thénard
June 2026 Julius Karoubi
July 2026 Laurena Finéus
August 2026 Havîn Al-Sîndy
September 2026 Samuel Domínguez
October 2026 Sarah Doerfel & Vincent Scheers
December 2026 Ackeem Salmon