[1][2] His father, Sy Colen, a wood and clay sculptor, was a participant in the 2006 reality TV show Artstar.
Colen attended Solomon Schechter Day School, and was raised Jewish.
[3] In his work, Secrets and Cymbals, Smoke and Scissors: My Friend Dash's Wall in the Future (2004), Colen built an exact replica of a section of poster, photo and flyer-covered wall from friend Dash Snow's apartment.
[8] Colen was close friends with artists Dash Snow and Ryan McGinley.
[9] When Snow died in 2009 of a heroin overdose, Colen was greatly impacted and said he was determined to end his own addiction.