Artist Yanran Chen (also known as Chloe Chen) is leading the charge in reimagining contemporary visual culture through a surrealist, sci-fi lens — honing in on her unique cross-disciplinary art that blends illustration and sculpture. At just 19 years old, Chen has already amassed a social media following of over 300,000 — a testament to her resonance with a new generation of digital-native art lovers.
The Beijing-born artist is renowned for her otherworldly, sci-fi-inspired works that blend dreamlike imagery with futuristic aesthetics. Her influences are deeply rooted in Japanese-style manga and experimental French films, resulting in creations that explore themes of identity, consciousness and the human condition. In a 2022 interview with Harper’s BAZAAR Vietnam, Chen shared her admiration for classic horror comic artists, stating, “I love the old horror comic artists. I’m drawn to the mysterious atmosphere of their work and have always been fascinated by horror comic stories.”
2023 was a pivotal year for Chen, who showcased her first solo exhibition in Tokyo before going on to exhibit across the globe — including in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Budapest, Taipei and Las Vegas. She went on to participate in ComplexCon three times: in Hong Kong (March 2024 and March 2025) and in Los Angeles (November 2024).
Yanran Chen
According to a 2024 article by China Daily, seasoned art agent Pei Lifan observed that at Chen’s solo exhibition in Tokyo, the majority of her pieces were “swiftly acquired by collectors” — a clear indication of her growing demand in the international art market. Her work has been particularly well-received in cities like Tokyo and Hong Kong, with her cyberpunk-style sculptures drawing significant attention. There has even been interest in having some of her pieces mass-produced or transformed into collectible figures. Pei Lifan also highlighted Chen’s meticulous approach to her craft, describing her as a “perfectionist” who constantly refines the intricate details of her paintings.
This attention to detail — combined with a strong undercurrent of self-expression — has become a defining characteristic of her dreamlike aesthetic. Chen often centres her work around the “depiction of girls”, a theme that she attributes to a deep personal reflection. Her characters — created at different points in her life — are a representation of her struggles and explorations of real-world issues. While these figures visually represent aspects of her artistic personality, she notes that they do not fully encapsulate her entire self.
Her notable works include sculptures like The Mechanical Lifeform and Dinner, which showcase her ability to merge organic forms with mechanical elements. When it comes to professional highlights, her solo exhibition NOWHERE at SOMSOC Gallery in Tokyo marked a breakthrough moment, followed by an appearance in the SOMSOC Art Show 23 A/W. She continued to make waves across major international platforms, including Art Market Budapest and ART AMOY in Xiamen. In 2024, Chen’s work travelled further, with showings at ART021 Shanghai, the Modern Art Museum’s Rekindle exhibition and OPENFILE at Shanghai’s chi K11 art museum. That same year, she held a solo show at Tokyo’s renowned Tsutaya Books in Daikanyama and showcased at ART TAIPEI, the Budapest Art Exhibition and ComplexCon in both Hong Kong and Las Vegas (where she unveiled six sculptures from her “The Playpower Collection” project) — affirming her place at the intersection of contemporary visual culture and collectable design.
A bevy of international brands — such as the German notebook line LEUCHTTURM1917 and the Italian luxury label Gucci — have also taken notice of her and her artistic creations. Beyond the gallery circuit, Yanran Chen has become an increasingly prominent figure in brand collaborations and multimedia cultural projects. She served as the co-artist of “The Playpower Collection” for WaarWorld — the animation label tied to Liu Cixin’s The Supernova Era — bringing her futuristic visual language to the realm of science fiction storytelling. Chen was also named brand ambassador for LEUCHTTURM1917 China, launching a co-branded collection titled “Mirror Wonderland: Explore Within and Beyond,” which included limited-edition stationery and curated gift boxes. In the luxury toy industry, she teamed up with toy designer ROBBi for a collaborative capsule collection entitled “Ember”.
Her visual presence extended further through shoots with brands like R13, Songmont, and Balenciaga × Wonderland, as well as her participation in MODE Magazine’s Women’s Day special feature. Chen also took part in iQiyi’s popular reality series Life Show Fashion as a featured creative and was a guest on Chinese actor Yuan Hong’s personal art programme #Artknock, further cementing her crossover appeal between the visual arts and popular culture. Her 2024 artwork DRAGON was commissioned for the Chinese Loong Year— a symbolic nod to her cultural roots and contemporary vision.
A conceptual sculptor known for her use of unconventional materials, Yanran Chen stands at the forefront of a new cultural movement — creating collectable works that blur the lines between fine art and futurism. In addition to expanding her practice into sculpture, Chen expresses a desire to explore other mediums, including animation. She hopes to experiment with creating moving installations and is also keen to develop her own line of toys. What does the future hold for Yanran Chen? With her surreal, genre-defying approach and growing international acclaim, it is clear she is not just part of the next wave of art — she is leading it.
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