Your name
Chen Chuanduan
Place of birth
China
Place where you live now
Shanghai, China
3 words to describe you
Free-spirited, curious, brave
Why do you take pictures?
Nearly all of my work stems from my personal experiences and feelings. Photography is the medium I’m most drawn to and skilled at; it allows my experiences to be translated into images that carry my struggles, passions, healing, emotions, and losses.
Where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from my life and experiences, as well as from my curiosity and research topics. These include natural sciences, supernatural surrealism, literature, and other intriguing subjects.
Who are your influences?
Actually, among the artists I admire, there aren’t many who use photography as their primary medium. I’m often drawn to unique artistic philosophies and creatively unconventional lifestyles, like James Higginson’s inspiring home and artistic perspective, or Samuel Tomatis’s exploration of biological media. There are also those whose work alone leaves me utterly captivated, like Klára Hosnedlová, Kostas Lambridis, and José Galindoregina. These role models fuel my own creative journey. I aspire to have boundless imagination, a relentless drive to express, an un-erasable sense of humanity, and above all, the courage to believe in myself as an artist.
What determines the subject matter you choose?
What determines the subject matter I choose is primarily my desire to express. For some works, I aim to confront the lingering pain and trauma that must not be forgotten—messages and testimonies that I feel need to be remembered and shared. For others, it’s a sincere desire to share personal experiences, observations, and things that excite me. So, while each work may have a different theme or direction, they all center around my personal need to express.
What impact would you like your art to have?
I definitely hope that both I and my work will be remembered, shared, and seen by more people, sparking reflection, curiosity, and even care. Additionally, if my work can inspire and give courage to other creators, that would be the most fortunate outcome for me.
What artwork do you never get bored with?
I particularly love works that have a deeper research component, as they greatly stimulate my curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Seeing such works gives me an exhilarating sense of intellectual expansion. Sometimes these works have an interdisciplinary background or are supplemented with extensive texts and non-photographic images. I’m also easily drawn to works that cross mediums, as they bring a wealth of inspiration and may even serve as nourishment for my future creations. Additionally, if I share similar experiences with the creator of a work, this sense of empathy also deepens my appreciation.
Is there anything you want to add?
One thing I’ve realized this year is that, for a creator, the most important thing is 'voice'—the process of expressing oneself. These voices can transform into works that persist beyond time and physicality. That’s what I feel my life is about—creating this kind of continuity. What matters least are the so-called 'absolute' constraints. After all, we all live within the structure of modern society, and these constraints are like noisy distractions that affect everyone, myself included. Thankfully, I’ve come to a point where I can live according to my own beliefs. I’ve also realized that when you care about 'other' things, you naturally stop caring about many things—it's a fair exchange of attention. So focus on what truly matters to you; that’s what I’m striving to do.

Belly of The Giant Serpent: Prophecy
Project statement

This collection documents an unexpected journey during my travels, in a place called Norgris Town, where I spent the final days of winter. The Daltons, who have three children, graciously took me in. However, it was the peculiar pre-dinner prayer that piqued my curiosity. After expressing gratitude for trees, crops, and all animals, people would conclude it with a phrase - “The world lies within the belly of a giant serpent.”
Retired teacher Patrick shared with me the town's history. Back in the 1990s, a meteorite fell in Norgris, bearing scales like a snake. Children who touched it were believed to be protected from illness and danger. Patrick strongly believed that the origin of the universe followed a similar pattern: dust coalesced into the shape of a serpent, then curled up to form planets, giving birth to life and civilizations.
The priest in Norgris would conduct a ceremony before spring arrived, and during those days, supernatural occurrences blurred the lines of my memory. These included seeing indistinct faces outside my window, experiencing intense physical pain, and dreaming of being covered in scales from head to toe.
I no longer have the opportunity to return to Norgris, or perhaps Norgris does not exist. Within the belly of the giant serpent is a digestive fluid. For a certain period, I see the world enclosed, immersed within unquestionable walls.

Belly of The Giant Serpent: Prophecy is a documentary work concealed beneath the masks of fiction and the supernatural. I hide personal experiences and collective trauma in the text of AI images and paranormal short stories, recording unspeakable memories and emotions. This work metaphorically depicts my life during the 2019-nCoV pandemic under strict lockdown conditions in China, along with the silent accusations that accompanied it.

chen chuanduan
@chenchuanduan