Yu Chen is a 3D visual artist and interdisciplinary experience designer based in London, who graduated from the Royal College of Art with a degree in Information Experience Design. His education in both information experience design and fashion design has uniquely positioned him to focus on the integration of virtual experience technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR), with digital fashion visuals. This blend results in narrative concept pieces that engage audiences through immersive, interactive experiences.
Chen consistently practices the concept of "Phygital," blending physical and virtual spaces to craft richer, more immersive artistic experiences. His work draws inspiration from post-humanism, digital physicality, and queering ecology—exploring how these perspectives influence current social identity production and self-expression. Using his digital avatar as a creative starting point, Chen incorporates non-binary ecological aesthetics and ballroom culture research into his visual works, combining them with digital performativity to create "gender performativity" within digital worlds.
CGI Character Design by Yu Chen.
Chen's digital projects have been showcased at renowned venues such as Tate Britain, where his work was featured in the "Queer Now" project, 180 The Strand, the Milano Fashion Film Festival, Paris ASVOFF (A Shaded View on Fashion Film), and during London Fashion Week in both 2022 and 2023. His achievements also include winning the 2024 International Talent Support Digital Fashion Contest. These exhibitions and awards have highlighted his diverse blend of digital moving images, virtual fashion designs, and digital art pieces, offering him the opportunity to share his world-building and storytelling with a wider audience. For Chen, these works represent a visible exploration of more sustainable and inclusive contexts.
Digital Fashion Campaign by Yu Chen.
Yu Chen aims to enhance the connection between digital images and viewers by merging conceptual narrative design, virtual technologies, and visual effects. His approach encourages people to break free from anthropocentric limitations, helping them re-examine themselves from a non-binary, fluid perspective and discover new expressions of life and love.
In his recent body of work, Yu Chen continues to showcase his ability to merge digital aesthetics with conceptual depth, and offer a glimpse into the future of art and fashion in a rapidly evolving technological landscape:
Morphologies (2023)
"Morphologies" is a digital fashion film created in collaboration with the SYKY platform and designer Sun Wanw for London Fashion Week. This project is inspired by marine life and organic forms, blending futurism with mechanical fluidity. The film showcases a series of digital garments that explore the intersection of fashion, technology, and the natural world. The intricate visual narrative highlights Chen's ability to fuse digital aesthetics with conceptual storytelling, resulting in a mesmerizing, otherworldly experience.
Neo Nature (2023)
"Neo Nature" is an augmented reality (AR) experience developed in partnership with Snapchat, utilizing their unreleased AR glasses, Spectacles. This project merges physical and virtual realms to create a new digital ecology. Chen's AR sculptures, inspired by organic forms, break down the boundaries between body and nature, celebrating the fluidity of identity. The work represents a significant step in Chen's exploration of "Phygital" art, offering audiences an immersive experience that connects the physical and digital worlds.
The Alter Ego (2023)
"The Alter Ego" is a 3D animation and motion capture project that delves into the concept of post-gender identity in a cyborg-dominated future. This work combines elements of fashion communication, Ballroom culture, and cutting-edge technology to challenge traditional notions of gender and identity. Through the creation of a "post-gender" utopia, Chen envisions a world where individuals' alter egos can exist purely as cognitive entities, free from the constraints of the gender binary. "The Alter Ego" has been recognized at international film festivals, including the 16th A Shaded View on Fashion Film Festival in Paris.
This groundbreaking work was honored with the ITS Digital Fashion Award, receiving €3,000 for its bold exploration of the boundaries between humans and machines and its innovative approach to post-gender identity. The award committee praised the project for its dynamic and thought-provoking nature, highlighting the exceptional visual language and the immersive journey it offers into a future where identity knows no bounds.
The Theology of Love (2023)
In "The Theology of Love," Chen explores the intersection of queer identity and Chinese mythology. This CGI moving image project is inspired by the folklore of the Rabbit God and examines the challenges faced by queer communities in China. Through the lens of queer theology, Chen reinterprets traditional narratives to address the internal and external conflicts related to identity and emotional expression. The work has been featured in the 9th Fashion Film Festival Milano's Web3 contest, showcasing Chen's ability to blend cultural heritage with contemporary digital art.
Amelio Apex Appraisal Digital Campaign (2023) Commissioned by Amelio apex appraisal.
Sapiensi Concept Video at London Fashion Week (2022) Digital fashion concept campaign for London-based fashion brand Sapiensi depicts the future of god-making by incorporating the folklore tale of ‘God made man, man made god’.
Yu Chen's work is a testament to the transformative power of digital art and fashion, offering a bold vision for the future of identity and self-expression. His ability to merge conceptual depth with technological innovation positions him as a leading figure in the contemporary digital art scene. As he continues to explore and expand the possibilities of digital aesthetics, Chen's work not only captivates audiences but also inspires new ways of thinking about the intersections of technology, art, and identity.
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