Lenne Chai (b. 1991) is a Singaporean photographer and filmmaker whose work reimagines nostalgia and fantasy as tools for social critique. Recognized by Vogue Singapore as “one of Singapore’s most promising fashion photographers,” she has built a career that bridges local and international creative industries. Now based in Los Angeles, Lenne began her journey in 2010, photographing for leading publications and brands such as Vogue, Gucci, W Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Esquire, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Deeply influenced by her upbringing in Singapore, Lenne explores themes of queerness, heritage, and cultural memory through staged imagery and cinematic storytelling. Her work is a portal into alternative histories – imagining a Singapore where LGBTQ+ narratives are centered, where schools are safe spaces for queer youths, and where cultural traditions are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. Her projects, which challenge societal norms while celebrating Southeast Asian identity, have been featured in BBC World News, CNN, Vogue, and Dazed, and exhibited at Objectifs, Singapore Art Week, Gillman Barracks, Altura Los Angeles, among others.
Through her practice, Lenne continues to shape Singapore’s artistic landscape by challenging conventions, expanding conversations on queerness and cultural identity, and mentoring the next generation of visual storytellers.