Yang Qi
Introduction
Yang Qi is a Chinese diaspora multi-media artist working and living in Germany. He is notable for his concept of "Zen with German Expressionism," which intertwines the artistic traditions of his cultural Chinese past with the modernist Western style he encountered in Europe.
Yang studied art at Anhui National Normal University in Wuhu between 1978 and 1982 after which he was a lecturer in art at Shanghai University. Upon receipt of a scholarship, he left for Germany's Berlin University of the Arts in 1987 and received a Doctorate of Art Philosophy at the University of Heidelberg in 1996.
The modernist movement of Expressionism, originating in Germany in the 1920s, emphasizes emotions through the assertive and energetic use of lines, colours, compositions, and techniques. On the other extreme, Chinese Zen emphasizes insight into Buddha-nature and the personal expression of this enlightenment. Yang successfully merges these two approaches through the development of a singular artistic style he terms "Zen with German Expressionism." His ink paintings and ceramic works are generally composed of a few simple brush strokes and colours but are full of philosophical thinking, reflecting on the awe of life and its profundity.
Yang has held more than 50 solo exhibitions in China, Germany, Switzerland, England, and the Netherlands since 1989, with his first solo exhibition in China at the National Art Museum of China, Beijing in 2005. His paintings and ceramics were displayed at the Wu Tong Art Museum in Shanghai in 2018, and in 2012 his acclaimed solo show Homeland was held at Shanghai's Duolun Museum of Modern Art. Alisan has held solo exhibition A Profound Life for Yang Qi in 2017 and featured his works at ArtHK 2010, Art Basel Hong Kong 2015, and West Bund Art & Design Fair 2018 in Shanghai. In 2024 October to November, he has his solo exhibition at the gallery by Sotheby's in London.
His works have been collected by various major museums and private collections, including the British Museum, London; Linden Museum, Stuttgart; International Collection of Art SAP, Walldorf; Art Collection of Cial Bank, Zurich; Art Foundation La Roche, Basel; China Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou; Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai; and Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai.
BIOGRAPHY
1952 Born in Wuhu, Anhui, China
1978-82 Bachelor of Arts, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
1985-87 Lecturer, Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University; Department of Arts, Shanghai Normal University, China
Exhibition Assistant, Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University, China; The City University of New York, United States
1987 Went to Germany to participate in an Artist Exchange Programme, Berlin University of the Arts, Germany
1990 Studied Ph.D. programme, Institute of Art History, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Lecturer, Institute of Art History, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
1991 Member of Professional Artist Association Germany
1996 Received Ph.D in Art Philosophy, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
1999 Professor of Painting, Academy of Fine Arts, Bochum, Germany
Guest lecturer of installation art, Witten University, Witten, Germany
Professor of European Contemporary Art, Academy of Fine Arts, Anhui University, Hefei, China
2001 Curatorial assistant of The Great Exhibition NRW, Düsseldorf, Germany
Juror of Annual Art Competition by Deutsche Telecom, Düsseldorf, Germany
2003 Curator of Germany, Shanghai International Environment Art & Sculpture Exhibition
Guest Professor, Academy of Fine Arts, Xi`an, China, established artist studio
2003-05 Professor of Non-figurative Painting, Fine Arts Department, Bergisch University, Wuppertal, Germany
2004 UNESCO Experimental Art Projects in Germany for ten years, including Frankfurt, Wittenberg, Weimar, Karlsruhe
2005 Executive Director of Identity and Philosophy Foundation, Germany
2006 Gave lecture at Summer Academy, Island Hombroich, Germany
Travelled to Yellow River and the North-West of China
2009 Participated in the art project of Malkasten Artists Association, Düsseldorf, Germany and Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
2011 Established the Summer Art Academy with important Contemporary German artists including Markus Luepertz Curator of China Hall, Annual Exhibition of Hunterkunst Foundation, The Netherlands
2012 Curator of the European Union Project “Long-life Learning”, Luxembourg
Artist and curator of 9th Shanghai Biennial, Düsseldorf Pavilion, Shanghai, China
2013 Vice President of Adam Schall von Bell Science and Art Association, Germany
2014 Representative artist of China to donate the painting “Heart” to UNICEF
Co-curator of German Neo-Expressionism and Abstract Figuration, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2015 International Juror of the art prize “Protagonist”, Venice, Italy
Professor, Academy of Fine Arts, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
Co-founder and curator of Europe, International Ceramic Symposium International in Dehua, China
Co-founder of the 1st Symposium: German-Chinese Urbane Art and Art Education Institute of Art Research Shanghai, China
“Art of Nation” dialogue with Markus Luepertz and Shi Dawei, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2017 Curator of the German-Chinese art project “Stones from Other Mountains”, Academy Franz-Hitze, Münster, Germany
Director and Researcher of International Centre of Art Education, Li Keran Painting Academy, Beijing, China
Invited by Cambridge University to give a lecture “Beyond Nothing - My Way to Utopia”, Cambridge, United Kingdom
2019 Researcher, National Innovation Culture Centre, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Present Lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
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Lotus Meditation: Zen in Expressionist Art by Qi Yang, Wemyss Gallery, Sotheby's, London, UK
2023
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Vision: Yang Qi’s Neo-Expressionist Art, Ui ART Center, Suzhou, China
- Yang Qi: Zen and German Neo-Expressionism, New Ink Painting Exhibition, Grey Wall Art Space, JW Marriott Hotel Tomorrow Square, Shanghai, China
2022-2023
- Yang Qi 35-Year Retrospective: See Each Other, Virtuell-Visuell, Fürst Leopold warehouse, Dorsten, Germany
2022
- Yang Qi: Art's Only Another Utopia, Personal Structures: Venice Art Biennial, Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy
2020-21
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Yang Qi: Here's There, Chun Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2019
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Year of the Pig, Lartz Gallery, Cologne, Germany
2018
- Yang Qi: Song of the Sea, Wu Tong Museum, Shanghai, China
2017
2016
- Yang Qi: A Few Words, Fujian Art Museum, Fuzhou, China
2015
- Yang Qi: Identity, from Me to Myself, Atrium, The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations & The Ministry of Security and Justice, Den Haag, The Netherlands
2014
- Yang Qi: Painting and Sculpture, Biesenbach Gallery, Cologne, Germany
2013
- Yang Qi Meets Goethe Meets Confucius, Gallery of City Library Frankfurt, Germany
- Yang Qi: Home, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
2012
- The Year of Dragon: The People of Dragon, Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art, Oberhausen, Germany
- Yang Qi: Modern Ink, Gallery of Art Association Hattingen, Germany
2011
- Yang Qi: Painting and Object, KSI Institute, Freiburg, Germany
- Metaphysical Form of Ink, Performance Art, German Zen Festival, Germany
2010
- Meeting, City Gallery of Neuenrade, Neuenrade, Germany
- Mythos Work, Gallery of Bethe Foundation, Wuppertal, Germany
- Identification, Gallery of Malkasten Artists Association, Düsseldorf, Germany
2008
- Yang Qi: Someone Sometimes Somewhere, Gallery of Nagoya University of Arts, Nagoya, Japan; Art Gallery of World Journal, New York, United States
- Windows: PC-Print, 1st Beijing Print Festival, Beijing, China
- Between Being, Culture Forum, Lüneburg, Germany
2007
- 8888 = Happiness, Gallery of Herne Artists Association, Herne, Germany
- Yang Qi: Culture Process, City Museum Bentlage, Rheine; City Museum Ratingen, Ratingen, Germany
2005-06
- Beyond the Heaven, National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Museum of Academy of Fine Arts Xi’an, China; Von der Heydt-Museum, Wuppertal; Ludwig Museum Koblenz, Koblenz, Germany
2005
- Yang Qi: Painting, Installation, Photography and Video, Gallery of Bethe Foundation, Wuppertal, Germany
2004
- Beyond the Nothing, Rheinisches Landes Museum, Bonn, Germany
2003
- Stone Time Space, Installation, Gallery of Rhein-Sieg-Art Association, Siegburg; City Museum Beckum, Beckum, Germany
- Black and White, Painting and Installation, Gallery of Oberhausen Art Association, Oberhausen, Germany
- From Space to Time, Painting, Installation, Gallery of Krefeld Art Association, Krefeld, Germany
2002
- Cultural Identity?, Ludwig Museum Koblenz, Koblenz, Germany
2001
- Paintings and Installations, Witten University, Witten, Germany
- Dialogues of the World Culture with Mark Tobey, Painting and Installation, Museum Villa Rot, Ulm, Germany
2000
- Wind without Names, University Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany; Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, China
1997
- Performance and Video Art by Yang Qi: 4th International Photography Exhibition, City Museum of Bietigheim-Bissingen, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany
1995
- Theodor-Zink-Museum, Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Performance art at Julius Bissier Exhibition, Museum Villa Rot, Ulm, Germany
1991
- German-American Institute of Culture Research, Heidelberg, Germany
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
- Exhibition of Works by Chinese Diaspora Artists in Germany, National Centre for Performing Arts Art Gallery, Beijing, China
2021
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Among All Essence: 2021 China European Art Invitation Exhibition, Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2019
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Bubble: Chinese and European Artists Exchange Exhibition, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Shanghai, China
2018
2017
- Chinese Artists in Germany, Liu Haishu Art Museum, Shanghai, China; Ludwig Museum Koblenz, Koblenz, Germany
2015
- Art Basel Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
- Exhibition of International Contemporary Ceramic in Dehua, Wan Qi Art Hall, Dehua, China
2014
- German Neo-Expressionism and Abstract Figuration, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2012
- Paper Art, Cologne, Germany
- 9th Shanghai Biennial, Düsseldorf Pavilion, Shanghai, China
- 5th Beijing International Biennial, Germany representative artist, Beijing, China
- Undoing Shuimo, Doulun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
2010
- Hortus Medicus, Gallery of Bad Salzdefurth Art Association, Bad Salzdefurth, Germany
- New Ink Art, ART HK, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
- Art Fair Verona: Video Exhibition, Verona, Italy
2008
- Female Images, Castle Halbturn, Burgenland, Austria
- The Chinese Transformation, Ludwig Museum Koblenz, Koblenz, Germany
2005
- Beijing International Biennial, Overseas Artists, Beijing, China
2003
- Shanghai International Environment Art & Sculpture Exhibition, Shanghai, China
1999
- Great Exhibition NRW, Düsseldorf, Germany
1998
- Portfolio Night, Braunschweig Museum of Photography, Braunschweig, Germany
1996
- Oberösterreichisches Museum, Linz, Austria
- Seedamm Culture Centre, Pfäffikon SZ, Switzerland
- Halbturn Castle, Burgenland, Austria
1995
- German Hygiene Museum, Dresden, Germany
- International Ink Painting, China Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou, China
1994
- Kurpfälzisches Museum, Heidelberg, Germany
- Gallery of Unter Teck Art Association, Unter Teck, Germany
1993
- Museum Simferopol, Simferopol, Ukraine
- Duisburg Culture and History Museum, Duisburg, Germany
- Bautzen City Museum, Bautzen, Germany
1992
- National Museum Jihlava, Jihlava, Czechoslovakia
- Gallery of Young Artists, Prague, Czechoslovakia
- Budweis Art Association, Budweis, Czechoslovakia
- Exhibition of Mainzers Art Prize, Gallery of Eisenturm Art Association, Eisenturm, Germany
1989
- Exhibition with Xu Jiang, Wang Keping, Liang Ying, Gallery Lommel, Leverkusen, Germany
SELECTED AWARDS
2021 Nominated artist, Wolfganf Hahn Award 2021, Germany
2015 Artist of the Year Award, Annual Exhibition of KFK Bremen, Germany. Painting The Artist as Hermit exhibited alongside with Markus Luepertz’s print
2006 Exhibition Sponsorship, Brennscheidt Foundation, Wuppertal, Germany
Exhibition Sponsorship, Identity Foundation, Düsseldorf, Germany
Exhibition Sponsorship, ARTs Düsseldorf, Germany
2005 Exhibition Sponsorship, Art Foundation of NRW, Düsseldorf, Germany
2004 Art Studio Award, Bethe Foundation, Wuppertal, Germany
1999 Exhibition Sponsorship, Art Foundation of NRW, Düsseldorf, Germany
Exhibition Sponsorship, BASF International Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Exhibition Sponsorship, YPC Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
1990-93 Scholarship, Heinrich-Böll Foundation, Cologne, Germany
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
British Museum, London, United Kingdom
City government of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Institute of Art History, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany
Hasso Plattner Foundation, Potsdam, Germany
Linden Museum, Stuttgart, Germany
Ministry of President, Tübingen, Germany
Art Foundation of Museum Villa Rot, Ulm, Germany
SAP, Walldorf, Germany
Bethe Foundation, Wuppertal, Germany
Art Foundation La Roche, Basel, Switzerland
Cial Bank, Zurich, Switzerland
Ethnological and Culture-Historical Exhibition, Zurich, Switzerland
Fujian Art Museum, Fuzhou, China
China Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou, China
Academy of Fine Arts, University of Anhui, Hefei, China
Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
