Meet Tianran Qian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tianran Qian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tianran, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
To me, pursuing a creative practice is about making space for “bad objects,” a concept inspired by Emmy Mikelson’s reference to Anthony Vidler. He emphasizes the “abilities of space itself to dissolve boundaries, as it is transgressive by nature, breaking the boundaries of all conventions, social or physical… a bad object – abject and ignoble in its ubiquity, endlessly invading the protected realms of society and civilization with the disruptive forces of nature.” This resonates with my interest in creating space for dissolving the rigid meanings of general categories, which are often highly stereotyped and based on socially constructed standards of exclusion that resist singular definitions.

These exclusive meanings stem from a traditional Western-centric vertical ontology, characterized by hierarchical relationships between subjects and objects, and distinctions within a fixed, hierarchical structure. I believe that creative approaches introduce nodes of disorientation within this rigid structure. Creativity is about individuals and their unique perspectives, rather than the populations they are often categorized into. This is especially valuable in an era dominated by AI, where our imagination and potential are frequently controlled and exploited. My creative practice is where I explore experimentally with ways of living and thinking.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I operate as an independent creative practitioner because I do not come from a traditional art background. Driven by curiosity, I constantly seek to identify the pressing questions of our time and determine the right mediums to express these ideas. Consequently, my projects span a wide range of topics and mediums, often rooted in extensive methodological research, as each endeavor is fundamentally a theoretical inquiry.

Recently, my focus has been on creating space through collaboration to protect connection and imagination in the digital age. This exploration began with examining digital writing as a technology, comparing typewriting to Chinese calligraphy to trace the history of technological innovations during China’s modernization. I’ve been investigating how our relationships with language are evolving in the AI era, where words transform into data and are reconstructed into images. To delve into this, I hosted an online panel titled “Diffusion Delusion Confusion,” featuring four artists who work with diffusion models to critically engage with the materiality of AI visuals from various perspectives. Additionally, I am collaborating with two friends on a keychain project, exploring the concept of protection through connection rather than gatekeeping. This project highlights the keychain as a symbolic space navigating the boundary between the public and private spheres.

The journey has not been easy, requiring courage to reimagine methodologies and pose meaningful questions beyond the obvious. One significant challenge has been bridging the generational gap in our understanding of technology, which is complicated by the affective nature of technological capitalism—our emotional responses to technology differ. To address this, I strive to reach a more open and international community beyond the gatekeepers of institutional power. But it has been a real challenge to find audience and opportunities as an emerging practitioner without much social connections or funding.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Bungee Space is one of my favorite spots in New York. It is an art collective space with an amazing collection of publications on critical image studies, as well as independent designs in fashion, accessories, and objects.

Bungee Space aims to break down the prejudices and boundaries between disciplines through its physical space, directly linking different fields within the environment. The curated selection of books is accessible to the general public, aiming to dissolve elitism and provide a space for individual interpretation and imagination. Their goal isn’t just to sell books but to use sales as a method to encourage reading that can transition into the audience’s next life stage, sparking discussion, critique, and appropriation into other fields.

It’s also a coffee place with an ever-changing creative menu. Anyone who walks in for a coffee will find their curiosity sparked by the unique objects in the space. The waiting time for coffee becomes a deliberate process, slowing down the pace and encouraging visitors to explore the books, clothing, and exhibitions. The various commercial elements make Bungee Space financially independent, which in turn supports their content independence and creative agency.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank my friends who have thought together and collaborated with me. Thank you for your love, trust, and I deeply admire you for who you are.

Hanglu Huang, Yiyi Wu, Jakob SItter, Sirui Liao, Siyu Chen, Nikita Shtarkman, Cindy Hu, Duoge Ma, Tuğrul Şalcı

Website: https://tianran.space

Instagram: _tianran_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianran-qian-b20598245/ 

Image Credits
Two posters design credit to: Sirui Liao