Loan Chabanol was born in Paris, France[4] on 30 December 1982.[5][4] She is of Vietnamese, German, and Italian descent.[6] Her early years were spent in art classes with artist Bernard Bistes.[7] Discovered at the age of 16 by Elite Model Management, she has been on the covers of magazines such as Elle , Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan.[8] and was the face of Guerlain and Olay.
In 2010, she moved to New York to study acting at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute,[8] leading to her film roles in Fading Gigolo (2013), Third Person (2014), and The Transporter Refueled (2015), as well as television appearances including Tales of the Walking Dead (2022). Throughout her career, Chabanol has moved fluidly between performance and the visual arts, deliberately taking breaks from screen work to focus on painting, immersive exhibition, and storytelling. This interplay between disciplines has defined her artistic vision, culminating in the creation of Mika Girl Studio, a platform where she unites her multidisciplinary practice and invites audiences into a space of imagination and wonder.
Chabanol has created solo exhibitions spanning painting, immersive art, and animation. Key milestones include: • 2013 — Met with curator Monica Watkins and debuted in a group exhibition, "Art Meets Fashion", in Brooklyn, New York, showcasing 50 artists.[12] • 2015 — Presented her inaugural solo exhibition, "Born in Blue", at The Lightbox in New York City, featuring a short animated film depicting the emergence of a Phoenix from the ocean. [13] • 2018 — Exhibited her series "Namsis" and "Black Namsis" at Show Gallery in Los Angeles and participated in the group show "WeRise" alongside Shepard Fairey and Glenn Kaino. [14][15][16] • 2019 — Released her first children's book, "Blueboo", about a blue monster living in the Brown Woods who encounters the last caterpillar in the forest.[17][18] • 2025 — Showcased "Reminiscence" at Tamsen Gallery in Santa Barbara, a retrospective exploring her relationship with horses following her father's passing.[19]
Personal life
In February 2020, Chabanol became an American citizen.[20] She currently lives in Los Angeles with her partner Wally Pfister.
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