Margaret Chen was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica.   She received a Diploma distinction in Sculpture at the Jamaica School of Art (now the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts) in Kingston and a BFA and MFA from York University in Toronto. Canada.

The persistent theme in her large, intricate mixed-media constructions explore the body's subterrene.  Organic and man-made materials are transformed into metaphors for impermanence and temporality.  Her various solo and group exhibitions in Jamaica and internationally include Subterrene  (2000) in Toronto, Canada; and Ovoid  (2003) in Kingston, Jamaica.  Group shows include About Change  (2011), organized by the World Bank, at the IDB Gallery, Washington DC; and in 2017, National Biennial, the National Gallery of Jamaica; and Circles and Circuits at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles, California.  Her participation in several artists in residencies include the Bemis Centre for Contemporary Art.  Chen currently lives in Jamaica and Toronto.