Chong Yan Chuah

Chong Yan Chuah
Chong Yan Chuah 蔡崇彦 تشونغ يان تشواه
Chong Yan Chuah at his artist studio in Kuala Lumpur
Born	Malaysia
Nationality	Malaysian
Occupation(s)	Artist, Architect and Designer
Website	https://chongyanchuah.com/

Chong Yan Chuah 蔡崇彦 تشونغ يان تشواه (b. 1992, Selangor, Malaysia) is a Sino-Malaysian artist, architect and designer works primarily in the mediums of the digital image, game art, and installation art, his works positioned in the interstices between virtual reality and simulated space, fictive narratives and imagined bodies.

Biography

Chong Yan studied architecture at Newcastle University (ARB/RIBA Part I), and then at the Architectural Association (AA) in London (ARB/RIBA Part II), receiving the 2014 RIBA President’s Medals nomination and AA Scholarship.

Career

He has worked extensively with Make Architects in London on competition projects all over the world, contributing to the development of 3D images, cinematics and real-time experiences. Co-founding Infer Studio in 2017-18 alongside Nathan Su and Bethany Edgoose, he later directed Somnii, an art direction, digital imagination and research studio. Beyond studio work, he has participated in architecture conferences hosted by DATUM:KL and Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), advocating for a broader perspective on worldbuilding that transcends traditional architectural frameworks.

Artistic Philosophy

Chong Yan's work examines the intersection of ancient myths and modern technology, particularly through the integration of Chinese mythology and digital shamanism—a concept similar to techno-paganism. He is intrigued by how traditional rituals and spiritual elements interact with contemporary technological advancements, creating environments that bridge our ancestral heritage with the current digital age.

He works primarily in the mediums of digital image, game art and installation art. His main interest is in our lived environments and the fictional worlds he creates, which in turn challenge our perceptions of these spaces, realities, and experiences. Inspired by the idea of an escape, each world serves as an extension of real life, or an allegory of his emotional state — rather than a creation of a new reality. The otherworldly feelings, characters, and elements that populate his digital works are results of his playful approach towards art-making, seeking to experiment around the concept of artist as explorer: one who discovers and reveals the unknown. He expands on the concept of world-building, devising an environment in which “digital identities” are constructed and nurtured, and what that universe might resemble.

Artistic Methodology

Chong Yan Chuah employs a distinctive approach to his artistic practice by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to supplement and inspire his work. Chuah sees the incorporation of new technology into the creative process as inevitable, reflecting a broader evolution in artistic methods. He articulates this view by stating, "As we evolve, we take up new tools and discard old ones. That’s how we have advanced to where we are today, both in life and in art." Chuah's methodology emphasizes the unique perspective that each artist brings to their work. He argues that while AI can analyze and replicate styles, it cannot replicate the personal lens through which an artist interprets the world. Chuah notes, "What makes art original is the lens that artists view the world through." In his creative process, Chuah utilizes AI to streamline and enhance his workflow, particularly by automating repetitive tasks. He sees AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a tool that can free up time for more innovative and conceptual work. "As a designer, the most efficient way for me to utilize AI is to make my workflow faster by letting it complete repetitive and mundane tasks for me," Chuah explains. Chuah also addresses the ethical considerations of using AI in art, especially regarding AI platforms that are trained on existing artworks. While he recognizes the concerns of artists over unauthorized use of their work, he believes the criticism should be directed at the creators of the AI tools rather than the artists who use them. Chuah emphasizes that the originality of art comes from the artist's unique viewpoint, something that AI, in his view, cannot replicate.

Artistic Achievements

As an artist, his works have been exhibited and collected internationally. He has exhibited at Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Institute of British Architects, NTU ADM Gallery Singapore, National Museum of Singapore, NOVA.The Staatliches Bauhaus, Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), National Art Gallery Malaysia, and Ilham Gallery. His past work include, 27 Years of Lazarian Delights, FAC3D and Aequus.