Ling Jian (b. 1963, Shandong Province, China) currently lives and works in Beijing, Hong Kong and Berlin. After receiving his degree from the Tsinghua University Academy of Art and Design (formerly the Central Academy of Art and Design) in 1986, he lived in Germany for many years returning to Beijing in 2006.
Ling’s work has been the subject of solo museum exhibitions including at Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing and at Today Art Museum, Beijing; Tang Contemporary Art , Hong Kong; Klein Sun Gallery , New York; Gana Art Gallery , Seoul. Recent group shows include Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, Germany, National Museum of China, Beijing; Liu Haisu Art Museum , Shanghai; Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai; Kunstmuseum Muheinm an der Ruhr, Mulheim, Germany; and Musee Maillol, Paris, France and Beaufort 2nd Triennial of Contemporary Art, PMMK at Musee d’Art Moderne, Beaufort, Belgium.
Due to the realism of his depictions and the exaggeration of his forms, Ling Jian became known for his provocative and unsettling portraits of women. Through these attractive portraits, Ling explores themes of culture and individual thought in modern society.
CV
| 1963 | Born in Shandong Province, China |
| 1986 | Graduated from Qinghua University Art College, Beijing |
| 1987-2005 | Lived and worked in Europe |
| 2006-Present | Currently lives and works across Beijing, Hong Kong and Berlin |
| 2019 | Ling Jian Solo Exhibition, Tang Contemporary Art, Bangkok, Thailand |
| 2018 | Ling Jian Solo Exhibition, Fabien Fryns Fine Art, Marbella, Spain |
| 2016 | “Song of the Ancient Birds”, Tang Contemporary Art, Hong Kong |
| 2015 | “Nature Chain”, Klein Sun Gallery, New York, U.S. |
| 2014 | “Brain and Heart”, Gana Art Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
| 2012 | “Classics-New Watercolours”, Hadrien De Montferrand Gallery, Beijing, China |
| 2011 | “Prelude to Water Melody – Moon in Glass”, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Beijing, China |
| 2010 | “Prelude to Water Melody – Moon in Glass”, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China |
| 2009 | “Back to Beijing”, Tang Contemporary Art, Hong Kong |
| 2008 | “Red Seed”, DF2 Gallery, Los Angeles, U.S. |
| “sur-FACE: in transit”, Tang Contemporary Art, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 2007 | “The Last Idealism”, Gallery Volker Diehl, Berlin, Germany |
| “Red Vanitas”, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong | |
| 2005 | “Ling Jian One-Man Show”, Art RAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
| “Chinese Visions”, Artiscope Gallery, Brussels, Belgium | |
| 2004 | “Immaculate”, Galerie van der Straeten, Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
| 2003 | “Sublime: New Works by Ling Jian”, CourtYard Gallery, Beijing, China |
| 2002 | “Asian Fashion – Asian Vibes”, Pruess & Ochs Gallery, Berlin, Germany |
| “Sense of Nirvana”, Galerie van der Straeten, Amsterdam, the Netherlands | |
| 2000 | “Private Journey”, Asian Fine Arts Pruess & Ochs Gallery, Berlin, Germany |
| 1999 | “Axis of Time”, Kampnagelfabrik – Medienpark, Hamburg, Germany |
| 1997 | Ling Jian, Lochte Gallery, Hamburg, Germany |
| 1996 | Ling Jian, Promotion Program, Art Cologne, Cologne, Germany |
| 1995 | “White Room”, White Room Gallery, Hamburg, Germany |
| 1993 | Ling Jian, Schwind Gallery, Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 1991 | Ling Jian, Lochte Gallery, Hamburg, Germany |
| 2023 | “Constellation”, Being Art Museum, Shanghai, China |
| 2022 | “Forward”, Cang Art Museum, China |
| 2019 | “Bridging Asia-Europe III”, Parkview Green Museum, Beijing, China |
| 2018 | “On Sharks & Humanity Global Art Exhibition”, Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, Australia |
| 2017 | “Mutual Supplementary and Wedge – Collection of Chinese Artists who studied in Germany”, Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, Germany; Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, China |
| “On Sharks & Humanity Global Art Museum”, The Parkview Museum, Singapore; Hong Kong WeiFang International Beinnale, China | |
| 2016 | Art Basel, Hong Kong |
| 2015 | “On Sharks & Humanity Global Art Exhibition”, National Museum of China, Beijing, China |
| Art Brussel, Belgium | |
| WeiFang International Biennale, China | |
| 2014 | Art Basel, Hong Kong |
| 2013 | Royal Museum, Prague, Czech Republic |
| Art Basel, Hong Kong | |
| 2012 | “FACE”, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China |
| Art Hong Kong | |
| 2011 | The Fifth CHENG DU Biennale, China |
| Art Hong Kong | |
| 2009 | Max Lang Group Show, New York, U.S. |
| 2008 | “China Gold”, Musee Maillol, Paris, France |
| 2007 | “Hong Kong Artwalk”, Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong |
