Qi Yang 杨起

b.1952 in Wuhu, China

Qi Yang graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Anhui Normal University in 1982 and moved to Germany in 1987 through an art exchange program between Shanghai University, College of Fine Arts, and the Berlin University of the Arts. Balancing his academic pursuits with his artistic endeavours, he earned a Doctorate of Philosophy from the Art History Institute of Heidelberg University from 1990 to 1996.

Neo-Expressionism, which emerged in the late 1970s to the mid-1980s in Germany, emphasises individual emotions, bold colours, and dynamic lines, contrasting with Impressionism’s focus on landscapes. In parallel, Chinese Zen Buddhism seeks enlightenment through sudden awakening. Qi Yang masterfully merges these philosophies, creating deeply expressive art.

Since 1989, Qi Yang’s work has been collected by the British Museum. He has held over fifty solo exhibitions, including notable shows at Museum Villa Rot, Burgrieden, Germany, 2001, the National Art Museum in Beijing in 2005, the Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, Germany, 2006, and the Duolun Museum of Modern Art in Shanghai in 2013. His innovative approach and artistic excellence led to his shortlisting for the prestigious Wolfgang Hahn Prize at the Cologne Ludwig Museum in 2021.