Emerging artist debuts futuristic pop culture works

The ComplexCon Hong Kong International Pop Culture Festival took place from March 21 to 23 at the AsiaWorld-Expo, bringing together global artists and designers. Emerging artist Chen Yanran made her third consecutive appearance, debuting original works that fuse futuristic themes with cutting-edge pop culture aesthetics.

At the event, Chen introduced the WaarWorld: Players Series, the first collection inspired by Hugo Award-winner Liu Cixin's The Supernova Era, adapted by Storycom. The project reimagines the dystopian sci-fi novel as an immersive playground where "play" becomes a driving force for societal transformation. Her sculptures Dinner and The Mechanical Lifeform also made their Asian debuts, drawing audiences with their avant-garde mechanical designs.

Chen's WaarWorld franchise first launched The Playpower Collection — a collectible series featuring Q-version character sculptures — at ComplexCon Las Vegas in November. For ComplexCon Hong Kong, she introduced redesigned Q-character sculptures with a more simplified and softened aesthetic, aiming to bridge the gap between collectors and fans while engaging global toy enthusiasts in a new sci-fi gaming experience.

Chen also took part in a ComplexCon panel discussion, sharing insights into her creative process and how she integrates iPad software into her workflow amid technological advancements. As an emerging voice in the art world, she also discussed the evolving relationship between technology and artistic innovation.