Yin Zhaoyang (b.1970, Henan, China) was trained at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Came out of age in Post-Mao China, Yin’s practice explored his generation’s discontentment, uncertain and “cruel” youth experience, through which he lead an important trend of avant-garde painting in 1990s China. Yin Zhaoyang developed a unique “spiritual landscape” with a strong personal temperament and sharp contemporary vision. His landscapes are dreamlike yet realistic; powerful yet intimate.
His works have been exhibited internationally, including the Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland, the Seoul Museum of Art, and the Technopolis Center for Contemporary Art in Athens. His works have also been collected by a range of prestigious public art museums, including the Collections of Central Academy of Fine Arts , the Long Museum, the Bao Long Museum, and the M + Art Museum in Hong Kong.
Yin Zhaoyang lives and works in Beijing and London.
Artist Video | Yin Zhaoyang
“Thoroughly versed in the Western Masters, Yin Zhaoyang’s work has moved from figurative to more abstract expression. What is unifying across his work is his intense, energetic, at times explosive, style no matter the subject. His work seems to vibrate from within the canvas.”
Yin Zhaoyang – Soul Mountain
Dr Geoff Raby AO
Vermillion Art Gallery offers in Australia a rare chance to see recent works from one of the leading figures from China’s ‘Youth Cruelty’ movement of painters. Born in the 1970s in harsh conditions, this group of painters emerged in the mid 1990s as the next generation of Chinese contemporary artists. Beijing artist Yin Zhaoyang is regarded as a leading representative of this group.
At a time when the Cynical Realism movement – juxtaposing commercial pop art images with propaganda art – was the dominant narrative by which the international art world came to notice Chinese contemporary art, Yin and his small group stayed close to the painterly traditions in which they had been trained in China’s great academies.
Thoroughly versed in the Western Masters, Yin’s work has moved from figurative to more abstract expression. What is unifying across his work is his intense, energetic, at times explosive, style no matter the subject. His work seems to vibrate from within the canvas.
With maturity and his establishment as a major international figure in Chinese contemporary art, with successful solo shows in the West and China, and sales through the major auction houses, his work has become more reflective and contemplative, but the subliminal energy remains, almost as if the work is breathing.
Over the past decade, Yin has turned to landscapes set in the ancient Song Mountain range in his home province of Henan. These works are rich in colour with thick oil paint applied in wide sweeping strokes. The intensity of the colours, the thickness of the paint and vividness of the whole composition take his landscapes to another dimension altogether, teetering on the edge of abstraction.
To these Vermillion has included some of Yin’s most recent work, semi-abstract portraiture, including several of Yin’s tributes to his greatest inspiration: Vincent Van Gogh.
Artist statement about Secluded Valley (2023)
Yin Zhaoyang
“I discovered this valley of Mount Song by chance. I was amazed by it at first sight. This valley has almost everything I love, ancient legendary rock formations with majestic and diverse shapes, and rich textures. That was the beginning. I set myself a compositional challenge.
Twelve years on, Secluded Valley is the latest portrayal of Mount Song. The valley commands respect. It grows slowly and splendidly. It mirrors my current life at this stage.”
CV
| 1970 | Born in Nanyang, Henan Province, China. Lives and works in Beijing and London |
| 1996 | Trained at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China |
| 2021 | “A Vast History —Yin Zhaoyang”, Long Museum (West Bund), Shanghai, China |
| 2019 | “Hills Beyond a River-Yin Zhaoyang”, Line Gallery, Beijing, China |
| “Blue-Green: Yin Zhaoyang New Works”, Tang Contemporary Art, Hong Kong, China | |
| “Yin Zhaoyang’s Engraving Works”, YIBO, Shanghai, China | |
| “Yin Chaoyang Solo Exhibition”, SANSHANG ART, Hangzhou, China | |
| 2017 | “Yin Zhaoyang at Song Shan”, Line Gallery, Beijing, China |
| “Yin Zhaoyang at Song Shan”, Suzhou Museum, Suzhou, China | |
| 2016 | “Yin Zhaoyang: New Works”, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai, China |
| “Panorama”, Aura Gallery, Taipei, China | |
| 2015 | “Branches in Chill and Sparrows in Thrill”, AMNUA, Nanjing, China |
| “Cold Mountain”, The Page Gallery, Seoul, South Korea | |
| “Beyond the Mountains”, Line Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Images On Paper: Yin Zhaoyang’s Works on Paper”, Lelege Art, Beijing, China | |
| “Distant Song Mountain”, Henan Museum, Zhengzhou, China | |
| 2014 | “Beyond Landscape”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, China |
| 2013 | “Cold Mountain”, Long Museum, Shanghai, China |
| “Descend the Mountain”, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong, China | |
| “Descend the Mountain, Hive Center for Contemporary Art”, Beijing, China | |
| 2011 | “Mortal Buddha”, Magee Gallery, Madrid, Spain |
| “Evolution”, Henan Museum, Zhengzhou, China | |
| “Fanatic”, PAGE Gallery, Seoul | |
| “Sunset in an Empty Mountain”, Lin& Lin Gallery, Taipei, China | |
| “Pilgrim– Yin Zhaoyang solo exhibition”, Aura Gallery, Hong Kong, China | |
| “Cave”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Yin Zhaoyang’s works 1992-2011”, Henan Museum, Zhengzhou, China | |
| 2010 | “Island of Four Seasons, Tang Contemporary Art”, Hong Kong, China |
| “Master”, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| “Facade”, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China | |
| “Facade”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| “Facade”, Iberia Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China | |
| 2009 | “Enter the Temple and Buddha Appears”, Shaolin Temple, Zhengzhou, China |
| 2008 | “Yin Zhaoyang —Ten Years”, Mingsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China |
| “Radiation”, DF2 Gallery, Los Angeles, USA | |
| “Yin Zhaoyang 1997—2007”, Today Art Museum, Beijing, CHina | |
| “Focus”, Tang Gallery, Hong Kong, China | |
| 2007 | “Taipei Journal”, Asia Art Center, Taipei, China |
| “Yin Zhaoyang’s New Work”, Tang Contemporary Art, Beijing, China | |
| “Time Lapse”, Taikang Top Space, Beijing, China | |
| “Yin Zhaoyang’s New Work”, Aura Gallery, Hong Kong, China | |
| “Passing By Mao Zedong, DF2 Gallery”, Los Angeles, USA | |
| 2006 | “Passing By Mao Zedong”, China Blue Gallery, Beijing, China |
| “Passing By Mao Zedong”, Tang Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| “Myth”, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Myth”, Aura Gallery, Shanghai, China | |
| 2005 | “Public Space”, Max Protetch Gallery, New York, USA |
| “Youth Utopia”, Tang Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand | |
| 2004 | “Utopia”, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China |
| “Utopia VS Youth Story”, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China | |
| 2002 | “Myth”, Aura Gallery, Shanghai, China |
| 2001 | “Myth”, Beijing Art Museum, Beijing, China |
| 2023 | “The Sea of Time, Opening Exhibition of Garvity Art Museum”, Beijing, China |
| 2021 | “The 3rd JINGART, Beijing exhibition hall”, Beijing, China |
| “The logic of painting, Shijiazhuang Art Museum”, Hebei, China | |
| 2020 | “Fusion Scene”, K Gallery, Chengdu, China |
| “Summer Exhibition 2020”, PIFO gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “The Contemporary Evolving Creation and Literature Exhibition of the Chinese Landscape Painting”, SPSI Art Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| “Chinese Academic Painting Invitation Exhibition”, Horizon Art Center, China | |
| “A Confrontation of Ideals— Anren Biennale2nd”, ancient town of Anren, Chengdu, China | |
| “2019 Art Shenzhen, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center Hall 6”, Shenzhen, China | |
| “Conceptual · Disposition”, Art Museum of HIFA, Wuhan, China | |
| “Songshan Forum —Invitation Exhibition of Excellent Art Works for the 8th Anniversary”, Shengda Art Gallery, Zhengzhou, China | |
| “Beijing Contemporary Art Expo 2019”, National Agricultural Exhibition Center, Beijing, China | |
| “Being Sharp: A Group Exhibition of Figurative Art”, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “‘The Power of Practice’ -The 9th Document Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Prints”, Nanjing Art Musuem, Nanjing, China | |
| “JINGART”, Beijing Exhibition Center, Line Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “2019 Hi21 Art Fair”, Lei Shing Hong Art Center, Beijing, China | |
| “Develop – Contemporary Art”, K Gallery, Chengdu, China | |
| 2018 | “The Heart Leads The Way”, Triumph Gallery, Beijing, China |
| “Gathering of Masters·South Lake. The White Dew”, Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition, The Art Museum of HZAU, Wuhan, China | |
| “Portrait of Time”, Taimiao Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Lie Zhen”, Yun Contemporary Arts Center, Shanghai, China | |
| “Sculpture Projects Ping Yao”, The Ancient City of Ping Yao, Taiyuan, China | |
| “River Flows – Celebrities Contemporary Chinese Ink Art Exposition”, K Gallery, Chengdu, China | |
| “Evidence—A New State of Art”, Castel Sant’ Elmo, Italy | |
| “Sketch of Songshan, Ma Kelu & Yin Zhaoyang”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Another Aleph – Chinese and German Contemporary Art Exhibition & De Galley Opening Exhibition”, De Galley, Xiamen, China | |
| “Summer Group Show-Gallery Artists & Collection”, Each Modern, Taipei, China | |
| “Mountains& streams”, CFHILL, Sweden | |
| “Praise of The Hand”, ARTCLOUD, Shenzhen, China | |
| “40×40 Art History Shaped by 40 Artists”, Powerlong Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| “OVER-PAINTING—Mitigating the Dilemma of Contemporary Art”, White, China | |
| “Box Art Center”, Beijing, China | |
| “Hui Shi Ying Hua”, Libao Art Museum, Wuhan, China | |
| “The Land is So Lovely-The Literary Spirit and Poetry of Chinese Art”, Shanghai, China Art Museum, China | |
| “Painting Language”, Epoch Art Museum, Wenzhou, China | |
| “2017 Art Shanxi”, Shanxi Art Museum, Taiyuan, China | |
| “Media Utopia-Art Jiangxi Academic Invitational Exhibition”, Jiangxi Exhibition Center, Nanchang, China | |
| 2016 | “Paper—Based”, Vanvory Art Center, Shanghai, China |
| “Blooming”, West Wing, West Bund Long Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| “The Essence of Things”, Aura Gallery, Taipei, China | |
| “Autobiography—New Contemporary Painting Invitation Exhibition”, Ningbo Museum of Art, Ningbo, China | |
| “3rd Nanjing International Art Festival: HISTORICODE Depression and Supply”, Bai Jia Lake Art Museum, Nanjing, China | |
| “PAINTING: Twenty Multiplied By Twenty”, Poly Gallery, Hong Kong, China | |
| “Group Exhibition：Together”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Watching on Paper: Works On Paper From Seven People”, Anyi Gallery, Shanghai, China | |
| “All Rivers Run to the Sea-One thousand Cliffs Stand Tall, East Region International Modern Art Center”, Beijing, China | |
| “Images Pool”, Ginkgo Art Center, Beijing, China | |
| “Daguan Contemporary: Works On Paper From Eight People”, Daguan Art Museum, Zhengzhou, China | |
| “The Return of Elegancy: Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China | |
| “2016 Art Shenzhen”, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center Hall 6, Shenzhen, China | |
| “OVER-PAINTING —Mitigating the Dilemma of Contemporary Art”, White Box Art Center, Beijing, China | |
| “Dui Jing Cheng Wu Ren Chengdu Yintai Center”, Chengdu, China | |
| “Xi Shan Yin”, Bridge Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Re-portrait: Being Expressed and Developed Expression”, Songzhuang Art Center, Beijing, China | |
| “Return-Poetic Dwelling in Contemporary Art”, PIFO Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Mountains and Rivers: Chinese Landscape in Multiple Dimensions”, Huayu, China | |
| “Resort& Spa Yalong Bay Sanya”, Sanya, China | |
| “Cold light”, Gold Earth 1912, Hefei, China | |
| 2015 | “Big House Opening Exhibition of Contemporary Art Center”, Big House Contemporary Art Center, Wuhan, China |
| “Garden Splendors—Chinese Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition”, Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China | |
| “Reading Paintings”, Aura Gallery, Taipei, China | |
| “Drawing Art of Re-Zuo, Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts”, Nanjing, China | |
| “Wandering Souls Tribute to Gauguin—Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Tahiti Museum of Art, Tahiti, French Polynesia | |
| “Carmine, Aura Gallery”, Taipei, China | |
| “Distant Echo—The First Exhibition for the Study of Contemporary Art on paper”, Lelege Art, Beijing, China | |
| “Social and Scape—The “Landscape Narration” In Chinese Contemporary Painting As Its Cultural Concept Changes”, Chengdu International Communication Center for Cultural and Art Pieces, Chengdu, China | |
| “Evidence”, Aura Gallery, Taipei, China | |
| “Lost Portrait”, Long Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| “Meta-Spectacle: Multi-Logic of the Pictorial World”, Shijiazhuang Art Museum, Shijiazhuang, China | |
| “Normal & Abnormal Scenery”, Lelege Art, Beijing, China | |
| “Luo QuanMu | Yin ZhaoYang | Zhao Gang”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Oriental Art – Master: Exhibition on Paper – When foreign Lands Encounter the Youth”, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “2014 Exhibition of International Representational And Abstract Art”, Ningbo City Cultural Center 117 Art Center, Ningbo, China | |
| “Ray of Light”, UPTO Art, Shanghai, China | |
| “Carry The Tiger Down The Mountain——Works of Wang Huaxiang and His Students”, Permanence Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “On the Road—Nomination Exhibition of Chinese Young Artists’ Works & Forum of Young Art Critics”, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China | |
| “Passage to History”, Venice, Italy | |
| “Fang Lijun & Yin Zhaoyang Joint Exhibition”, ART ONE, Hong Kong, China | |
| 2012 | “New Style: Invitational Opening Exhibition of Long Museum”, Long Museum, Shanghai, China |
| “The Vanity Life, — Contemporary Art Exhibition relate with the West Lake”, Venice, Italy | |
| “Face”, Mingsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China | |
| 2011 | “From The Dragon’s fire – Chinese Contemporary Ceramic Art U.S.A Invitational Exhibition”, New York, USA |
| “Brilliant Ethics”, Seoul, South Korea | |
| “Ruthless Reality”, White Stone Space, Shanghai, China | |
| 2010 | Art Guangju 2010, Guangju, South Korea |
| “one and one”Age Young Artists for The First Time, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Image Consumption”, Times Art museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Community of Tastes—Chinese Contemporary Art Since 2000”, MAC, Chile | |
| “Youth Upstairs”, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Husbandmen in Contemporaneous Painting—Exhibition of Excellent Works on Farmers in New China”, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China | |
| 2009 | “Glisten- New Art in Depth, Hangzhou West Lake Art Museum”, Hangzhou, Wall Art Museum, Beijing, China |
| “Beijing—Havana. New Contemporary Chinese Art Revolution”, National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba, Havana | |
| 2008 | “Beijing—Athens. Contemporary Art from China, Technopolis”, Greece |
| “3rd Nanjing Triennial”, RCM Art Museum, Nanjing, China | |
| “Clue – Abstract Works Exhibition”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “OPENING – group exhibition in summer”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Happy Together –Opening Exhibition at Aura Gallery Beijing”, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Case Studies of Artists in Art History and Art Criticism, SZ Art Center”, Beijing, China | |
| “Crouching Paper, Hidden Dragon”, F2 Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Congratulations on Making A Fortune”, Aura Gallery, Shanghai, China | |
| “Grain UNPACK—Chinese Experimental Art Education and Creation Exhibition”, The China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China | |
| “China XXI Century—Art Between Identity and Transformation”, Palaexpo Delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy | |
| 2007 | “Section – Chinese Image of Contemporary Art”, 3G Museum, Chongqing, China |
| “The Power of The Universe—The Frontier of Contemporary Chinese Art”, Asia Art Center, Beijing, China | |
| “Black White Grey—A Conscious Cultural Stance”, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Escape By Crafty Scheme—Salvation From Traditional And Revolutional Language”, Sifang Art Museum, Nanjing, China | |
| “New Terrestrial Reference—Opening of Art Museum 800”, Art Museum 800, Shanghai, China | |
| “Seven Plateaus– Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Ming Art Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| “Korean & Chinese Modern Art Exhibition: Giants in Illusion”, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea | |
| “Chinese Contemporary SOCART”, the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia | |
| 2006 | “The Blossoming of Realism- The Oil Painting of Mainland China since 1978,Taipei Fine Arts Museum”, Taipei, China |
| “Future and Fantasy- An Exhibition of Contemporary Art”, The Metropolitan of Manila, Philippines | |
| “Beyond Experience: New China”, Arario Gallery, Beijing, China | |
| 2005 | “Artists Born After The 70’s,Liu Haisu Art Museum”, Shanghai, China |
| “Artists Born After The 70’s”,Today Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| “Archaeology of The Future—The Second Triennial of Chinese Art”, Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, China | |
| “Mahjong- Sigg Collection Exhibition”, Switzerland | |
| 2003 | “Image about Images”, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China |
| “The Youth Cruelty Painting”, ddm warehouse, Shanghai, China | |
| “The Youth Cruelty Painting”, Yanhuang Art Museum, Beijing, China | |
| 2001 | First Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu Modern Art Museum, Chengdu, China |
| 1999 | Sharp New Sights, Beijing International Art Museum, Beijing, China |
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