Chooc Ly Tan
Staff details
multidisciplinary artist/DJ/music & cultural producer
Chooc Ly Tan is a multi-disciplinary artist, DJ, music & cultural producer who works across moving images, DJ sets, radio podcasts, event organising, and club nights. With a background in sculpture and performance. Her practice sets out to create new visions of reality by subverting or repurposing systems and tools we use to understand the world around us – such as concepts and methodologies from physics, politics and music. Often, Chooc Ly draws attention to power imbalances, using video and sound as mediums to find an experimental cadence within the personal histories, found footage, and political undertows that inform and inflect the Afro-Asian diaspora, in the face of on-going colonialism(s). Her recent film commission On The Offbeat (2021) explores those disruptive and productive moments of suspension that surround syncopation, tracing the significance of the offbeat through Vogue Fem, diasporic rhythms, critical theory, and insect behaviour.
Academic qualifications
- MFA Fine Art, Goldsmiths university of London 2011
- BA Fine Art (hons) in 3D (sculpture), Central Saint-Martins 2006
Featured publications
2023:
The Dark Preview, vol.5, The Urban Night Project
Pamphlet: with texts & artwork by Rut Blees Luxemburg, Casper Laing Ebbensgaard, Lo Marshall and Nick Dunn and Chooc Ly Tan.
2022:
Art Monthly: Syncopes, Tess Charnley
Article: review of the group exhibition featuring Chooc Ly Tan, Himali Singh Soin, Lala Rukh, Mira Calix, Ruth Beraha and Qian Qian. Curated by Daria Khan.
2021:
Vdrome, interview: Chooc Ly Tan "On the Offbeat"
Interview with an introduction by Andrea Lissoni (vdrome, HdK) "What are communities made of? [...]"; followed by curator Daria Khan interviewing artist-filmmaker Chooc Ly Tan.
2021:
Art Monthly: Chooc Ly Tan "Crepuscular Dreams of (dis-)Alienation
Article: review of Chooc Ly Tan's solo exhibition at Banner Repeater, by Tabitha Steinberg
2020:
British Journal of Photography: Hi-noon carves out a new online space for artists & collectors
Article: curated platform Hi-Noon presents their work with Alix Marie, Rut Blees Luxemburg, Sophy Rickett, Chooc Ly Tan amongst other artists.
Grants and awards
2024:
Project Grant, Arts Council England
For the development and delivery of Décalé’s events, workshops, and artist commissions, in collaboration with The Yard Theatre, Leïla Arénou, and Kadeem Oak.
2024:
Fluxus Art Projects
For the development and delivery of Décalé’s events, workshops, and artist commissions, in collaboration with The Yard Theatre, Leïla Arénou, and Kadeem Oak.
2023:
The Yard Theatre Residency
This residency enabled the development and presentation of Décalé's interdisciplinary events within the Yard Theatre’s public programme, integrating visual arts, movement, poetry and music.
2020:
DYCP award, Arts Council England
For the development of my research-led interdisciplinary practice exploring moving image, sound, performance, and community engagement.
2011:
Startpoint Prize, nominated by Goldsmiths university
Nominated for a solo presentation at Goldsmiths, recognising excellence in emerging contemporary art practice.
Publications and research outputs
Show/Exhibition
- Décalé XII: Experimental Sound, Moving Image, and Performance Evening Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Décalé XII: Experimental Sound, Moving Image, and Performance Evening. In: "Décalé wih Larry Achiampong, Ain Bailey, Laila Majid + more", Standalone, London, United Kingdom, 23 May 2025.
- Décalé XI: City-fiction in Smoke and Steam Tan, Chooc Ly . 2024. Décalé XI: City-fiction in Smoke and Steam. In: "Décalé XI: City-fiction in Smoke and Steam", Ormside Projects, United Kingdom, 21 November 2024.
- Décalé X: A Night on Planet Earth Tan, Chooc Ly . 2024. Décalé X: A Night on Planet Earth. In: "Décalé", The Yard Theatre, London, United Kingdom, 18 April 2024.
Performance
- Flux and Deep Listening, Performance at Camden Art Centre Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Flux and Deep Listening, Performance at Camden Art Centre. In: "Always Coming Home Series: Act IV – Stone Telling", Camden Art Centre, London, United Kingdom, 16 November 2025.
- Middlesound #2 - Music Ceremony Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Middlesound #2 - Music Ceremony. In: "Middlesound #2 - Music Ceremony", OXI, Berlin, Germany, 14 September 2025.
- Resonance – Chooc Ly & Mohammed Rowe (Hybrid Live Set) Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Resonance – Chooc Ly & Mohammed Rowe (Hybrid Live Set). In: "Resonance Fundraiser Curated by IKLECTIK", Avalon Café, London, United Kingdom, 28 February 2025.
Conference or Workshop Item
- Artist Talk: FOREST / COSMOS – Part of The Earth Is Speaking Film Series Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. 'Artist Talk: FOREST / COSMOS – Part of The Earth Is Speaking Film Series'. In: Artist Talk: FOREST (Working Title) – Part of The Earth Is Speaking Film Series. Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London (UAL), United Kingdom.
- Chooc Ly Tan, artist's talk Tan, Chooc Ly ; and Rai, Amit. 2025. 'Chooc Ly Tan, artist's talk'. In: The Creative Industries (Organising and Applied Research Methods). Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom 24 February 2025.
- Chooc Ly Tan, artist's talk Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. 'Chooc Ly Tan, artist's talk'. In: Perspectives – Fine Art Lecture Series. University of the Arts London, Camberwell College of Arts, United Kingdom 5 February 2025.
Art Object
- Coeur Bioluminescent Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Coeur Bioluminescent.
- We Teleport And Dance Tan, Chooc Ly . 2023. We Teleport And Dance.
- Rêve, Rave et Révolution Tan, Chooc Ly . 2022. Rêve, Rave et Révolution.
Article
- Looking into People’s Eyes Tan, Chooc Ly . 2021. Looking into People’s Eyes. Ying Xiang 映象, 1,
Audio
- Fractal Meat on a Spongy Bones with Chooc Ly on NTS radio Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Fractal Meat on a Spongy Bones with Chooc Ly on NTS radio.
- Solar Rocks Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Solar Rocks.
- Resistance Music Tan, Chooc Ly . 2024. Resistance Music.
Book
- YES / NO NO/YES Tan, Chooc Ly ; and Nalin Kumar, Rishi. 2013. YES / NO NO/YES. London: Flat Time House.
Broadcast
- The Stars Below (Resonance FM) – Interview with Chooc Ly Tan and Mohammed Rowe Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. The Stars Below (Resonance FM) – Interview with Chooc Ly Tan and Mohammed Rowe.
- DiaspoRIDDIM Podcast — Episode 5 with Chooc Ly Tan Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. DiaspoRIDDIM Podcast — Episode 5 with Chooc Ly Tan.
- Threesound Expo with Driptech & Chooc Ly (Refuge Worldwide radio) Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Threesound Expo with Driptech & Chooc Ly (Refuge Worldwide radio).
Composition
- Liquindi x Việt Nam tôi đâu? (supernova remix) – Threesound of Revolution Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. Liquindi x Việt Nam tôi đâu? (supernova remix) – Threesound of Revolution.
- Coeur Bioluminescent Tan, Chooc Ly . 2023. Coeur Bioluminescent.
- Exaltation Onirique Tan, Chooc Ly . 2022. Exaltation Onirique.
Film/Video
- FOREST: Part 1 of The Earth Is Speaking Film Series Tan, Chooc Ly . 2025. FOREST: Part 1 of The Earth Is Speaking Film Series.
- On The Offbeat Tan, Chooc Ly . 2022. On The Offbeat.
- Crepuscular Dreams of (Dis-) Alienation Tan, Chooc Ly . 2018. Crepuscular Dreams of (Dis-) Alienation.
Project
- Monsoon Sessions & Warm Fronts – Chooc Ly Tan Contribution Tan, Chooc Ly . 2022 Monsoon Sessions & Warm Fronts – Chooc Ly Tan Contribution.
- The Earth is Speaking Series Tan, Chooc Ly . 2021 - ongoing The Earth is Speaking Series.
- DÉCALÉ Tan, Chooc Ly . 2018 - ongoing DÉCALÉ.
Other
- Co-authored Short Story – Monsoon Sessions, Chooc Ly Tan Contribution Tan, Chooc Ly . 2022. Co-authored Short Story – Monsoon Sessions, Chooc Ly Tan Contribution. NTU CCA Singapore.
- Label of the Month: Chinabot Tan, Chooc Ly . 2021. Label of the Month: Chinabot. Resident Advisor.