Table of Contents
Tang Contemporary Art has unveiled its latest venture — ART FOCUS — an immersive art space launching on 23 May 2025. The inaugural exhibition spotlights emerging artist Yanran Chen with her debut solo show in China, “Neon Dreamland”. LUXUO had recently delved into the work of Artist Yanran Chen (also known as Chloe Chen), who has already made a name for herself in the art industry with her unique cross-disciplinary creations that blend illustration and sculpture. Since her 2023 debut solo show in Tokyo, she has exhibited in cities like Shanghai, Hong Kong, Budapest and Las Vegas. Chen also has collaborated with major names such as GUCCI, Balenciaga and ARTnews, and serves as a brand ambassador for LEUCHTTURM1917 and co-branded artist for ROBBi. Now, she returns to her hometown of Beijing, marking a major new chapter in her rising international career.
A Two-Part Journey into Surrealism and Speculative Futures
The show unfolds across two thematic zones that reflect the multifaceted nature of Chen’s creative practice. One section is devoted to her personal projects, including original paintings and sculptural works. Standout pieces such as “The Mechanical Lifeform” and “Dinner” — previously shown at ComplexCon LA — combine hyper-saturated hues with surreal, dreamlike narratives, exploring femininity, fantasy and the complex entanglements of human and machine.
The second half of the exhibition introduces a collaborative series between Yanran Chen and anime label WaarWorld, inspired by Liu Cixin’s acclaimed sci-fi novel “The Supernova Era”. Making its debut in China, the full “Players Series” brings together six character-based collectible sculptures alongside Q-version miniatures. These works fuse post-human futurism with a deliberately paradoxical aesthetic — playful yet dystopian, sleek yet subversive.
A Cinematic Universe Reimagined: WaarWorld’s “The Playpower Collection”
This section draws viewers into a cinematic-grade environment, immersing them in WaarWorld’s imaginative “Playpower Collection”. Through vivid characters and speculative storytelling, the series blurs the lines between anime, sculpture and future-world mythologies.
ART FOCUS: Redefining Immersive Art in Beijing’s 798
Located in the iconic 798 Art District, ART FOCUS emerges as a new platform pushing the boundaries of traditional gallery formats. With a focus on digital integration, interactive design and educational initiatives, it positions itself as an experimental incubator for the future of contemporary art. Chen’s show marks the space’s ambitious debut — a signal of its mission to nurture boundary-breaking talent and encourage cross-genre collaborations.
Beijing & Beyond
The exhibition also launches alongside Beijing Art Season, a new citywide celebration co-founded by ART021 BEIJING, Beijing Contemporary Art Expo and Beijing Gallery Week. With aligned programming across major institutions and grassroots spaces, the initiative transforms the capital into a dynamic hub for art, design and street culture throughout May.
About Yanran Chen
Chinese multidisciplinary artist Yanran Chen made her solo debut in Tokyo at just 18, captivating audiences with surreal works that challenge the boundaries between fantasy and form. Since then, her distinct visual language has earned her a place at global art fairs including ART021 and the Budapest Art Fair. In 2025, she became the youngest-ever collaborator in Gucci’s storied history, reinterpreting iconic sculptures for the exhibition “Gucci Bamboo, Decoding An Icon” — a project that rippled through the fashion and art worlds alike.
Chen was also named the first Chinese Creative Inspiration Ambassador for German stationery house Leuchtturm1917, co-designing the “Fantasy Realm” notebook series — a fusion of whimsical storytelling and tactile design. A frequent name at ComplexCon, her cult-status art toys and collaborations with labels like Robbi have cemented her appeal among Gen Z collectors across Asia, especially in Thailand. Her signature works — “Fantasy Plastic Bag”, “Nightmare Robot” and “Fictional Self” — explore themes of biomechanical aesthetics, speculative identity and emotional surrealism, underlining her rising profile as one of the region’s most exciting young artists.
Read More: Yanran Chen’s Art Goes Beyond Cyborgs and Cyberpunk Collectables
The exhibition details are as below:
Dates: May 23 – July 6, 2025
Location: ART FOCUS, Tang Contemporary Art, 798 Art District, Beijing
For more on the latest in culture and art reads, click here.
