I am Xuanning Chen, the founder of Teian. I came to the Netherlands from China in 2018 to study and enrolled in a technology art-related program at an art school. During this time, I was exposed to hardware module synthesizers and gained extensive knowledge from university, various studios, and fellow artists. In this process, I discovered that many of these electronic components actually come from my hometown in China. I started purchasing components from China and shipping them to the Netherlands for my artistic creations.
In 2022, I graduated from school and the reality demanded that I find a career that could support my livelihood. I wanted to apply what I had learned in the previous years to my career, and that’s when Teian was born. I wanted to do something that combines artistic passion and social responsibility while also providing sufficient economic income for myself and my colleagues. In 2023, I registered Teian and began this journey.
In 2023, there was a new phenomenon in the field of modular synthesizers in China: an increasing number of young musicians and new equipment designers were entering this field. This can be attributed to the hard work and promotion of previous generations in the region. At this time, I returned to China and met with some of these individuals. I found that these young people had a raw passion for artistic things and wanted to make achievements in their own way in this field. This is great. However, I also noticed that these creators and practitioners still face gaps and disparities with the international industry in various aspects. On the other hand, these new artists have not yet been seen by the world, and working in isolation does not promote the development of the industry. I believe that not only in China, but also in other developing countries around the world, similar situations exist.
Teian wants to change this situation. In the field of modular synthesizers, trade is a very important way of communication. Therefore, the first step of Teian is to showcase the products of these new designers to the world through trade. I hope to combine my international background to provide them with a platform that connects with the world, so that these courageous and passionate individuals, including myself, can train and improve in this arena. I see that the road will be rough, but facing challenges bravely and daring to try new things is the cultural essence of Teian.
As a company in the art field, Teian also has a mission to be socially responsible. For various reasons, people around the world have certain inherent perceptions about products from underdeveloped countries and regions, such as deficiencies in quality and environmental protection. Teian hopes to explore this issue in an artistic way and take action in an entrepreneurial manner.
Xuanning Chen