Ziqi Chen (b. 2001) is a London-based artist whose practice is informed by cosmology, existential curiosity, and the nature of dreams. Drawing from years of dream journaling, her work examines liminal spaces and figurative dreamscapes, capturing the temporal and shifting quality of nocturnal, after hours, where the mundane and extraordinary converge. Chen's paintings delve into apocalyptic, alternate realities, often depicting urban environments transformed through subconscious visions. The interplay between memory, fear, and desire shapes her exploration of space and time, merging psychological landscapes with physical environments.
Integrating digital tools, such as AI, to generate reference images from dream content, Chen bridges traditional painting with contemporary digital processes. This fusion invites critical dialogue about the evolving relationship between art, technology, and culture. Through her work, she engages with contemporary concerns surrounding virtuality and power dynamics in the digital age, questioning the boundaries between the real and the imagined.