A major new addition to Beijing’s contemporary art scene officially opens today in the city’s iconic 798 Art District. The ART FOCUS complex, launched by the renowned Tang Contemporary Art Group, aims to be a hub for immersive, interdisciplinary art experiences. Marking the debut of this innovative space is the first solo exhibition in China by rising artist Yanran Chen, titled “Neon Dreamland”. The show is curated by actor and Art Naoke founder Yuan Hong and will run through July 6, 2025.
A Dual-Zone Dreamscape: Surreal Narratives Come to Life
The exhibition unfolds in a dual-gallery format, creating a “double narrative” experience for visitors.
The first gallery features over 30 of Chen’s original paintings and sculptures from recent years, including standout works such as Mechanical Lifeform and The Dinner. With a vivid color palette, intricate compositions, and rich metaphorical language, Chen constructs a vision of hyperreality—an emotionally charged dream world where lone female figures journey with mechanical wolves, owls, and anthropomorphic television-headed beings. These characters traverse inner ruins in search of answers to existential questions like “Who am I?” and “What is real?”
The second gallery is dedicated to the Player Series, a collaborative project between Chen and WaarWorld—an art concept inspired by Liu Cixin’s early sci-fi novel The Supernova Era. In this installation, Chen uses her signature aesthetic to reimagine a futuristic civilization, introducing six collectible character sculptures and chibi-style concept designs that invite audiences to reflect on themes of human destiny and technological evolution.
ART FOCUS: Immersion as Artistic Frontier
Positioning itself as a new cultural landmark, ART FOCUS aspires to create an immersive artistic ecosystem—merging contemporary art, IP development, and public education. This inaugural show marks not only a pivotal moment in Yanran Chen’s career but also a bold curatorial debut for Yuan Hong, who bridges the worlds of entertainment and visual art. The launch embodies Tang Contemporary Art’s commitment to engaging younger audiences and exploring the boundaries of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Situated in the heart of 798, the ART FOCUS building is a dramatic transformation of a 1960s industrial plant by architect Liu Haowei and CAA Architects. The design preserves much of the original structure while introducing futuristic architectural elements. The ground-level walls are opened to create a hovering metal volume, while reflective hyperbolic façades twist and flow above, forming what the designers describe as a “metallic lifeform reborn.”
This synthesis of industrial heritage and avant-garde design redefines the spatial experience within the 798 Art District. Through the tension between solid and void, motion and stillness, ART FOCUS represents a bold new vision for how contemporary architecture and art can interact.
