Shaoliang Yang
Painter
Yang was born in Dapu County, Guangdong Province, China. His interest in painting began in his childhood.
Yang graduated with a Fine Arts Degree from Guangdong Arts and Crafts School in 1983. He moved to Japan for further study in 1988. In 1990, he began his studies in the oil painting department of Musashino Art University. In 1996, he completed his master's degree in the same university. Afterwards, he began his career as a professional painter. In 2001, he established an art studio in the United States. Yang is currently conducting his art activities mainly in New York and Tokyo.
Yang prefers realistic figure and landscape paintings. He has studied the history and traditions of both Eastern and Western painting. His paintings could be roughly categorized into two groups by time according to the contents and expressions found in his works. In his early works, many elements of Western European art were thoroughly studied and incorporated. He has also toured and studied many artworks from major art museums in Europe and North America. Yang has great respect for influential artists such as Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Ingres, Delacroix, and Rodin. The representing works of Sumptuous Feast (Day) and Sumptuous Feast (Night), reflect the contents and characteristics of Yang’s expression of this period.
Yang’s later works attempted to incorporate the thinking and exploration of Eastern philosophy while he continued to study the excellent traditions and techniques of Western painting. By focusing on the teachings of nature, Yang takes the initiative to observe, think, discover, and find the true desires in one’s deep consciousness. Through years of experience and observation of certain natural environments, Yang’s series of works such as Jiuzhaigou, Village of Water, and The Coast, shows his longing for a pure, modest, and ethereal world. In terms of figure painting, this series pursuits the unity and harmony of man and nature, in addition to his praise towards pure love. Representing figurative works such as Fantasy Encounter with Yaochi, Waiting for the Cypress Boat, and Roaming Amidst the Misty Forest, expresses this ideology and its contents.
The development process of Yang’s paintings and creations shifted from the early works’ conflicts, mingling and fierce, to the later works’ calamity, pure and peaceful. When observing these works, we can try to understand his creative intentions through the venations of his artistic thoughts.
In terms of painting composition, Yang emphasizes on the study of classical painting techniques of Western Europe. He pays special attention to the durability of painting materials. He carefully selects various pigments and blending oils and abides by the characteristics and basic procedures of oil painting. He commonly utilizes emulsion-based or oil-based substrates and attempts oil painting techniques on acrylic substrates from time to time. He has performed in-depth research on painting mediums from tempera painting to oil painting and their mixing techniques. In recent years, he has also placed special emphasis on studying the second technique of oil painting in Flanders in the 17th century in Europe. Based on contemporary materials and conditions, Yang has complemented the advantages and disadvantages of different techniques, and he has gained some more experience in refining his own technique.
Life events
1961 Born in Guangdong Province, China
1983 Graduated from The Guangdong Arts and Crafts School
1983 Art teacher at Shenzhen Shekou Industrial District Yucai School
1984 Board member of Guangdong Shekou Caligraphy and Painting Association
1985 Member of the Art Association of Shenzhen in Guangdong, China
1988 Studying abroad in Japan
1990 Admission into the Oil Painting Major of Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan
1994 Graduated from the Musashino Art University with a Bachelor’s degree in Oil Painting
1994 Admission into the Oil Painting Program, Fine Arts Course, Graduate School of Art and Design, Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan.
1996 Graduated from the Graduate School of Art and Modeling, Musashino Art University (Master’s Degree)
1997 Started working as a Professional Artist
2001 Establishment of personal studio in Los Angeles, USA
2002 Moved Los Angeles studio to New York
Exhibitions and Prizes
1983 Attended the “50 year Anniversary Exhibition The Guangdong School of Arts and Crafts”
1984 Attended the “First Shekou Art Caligraphy Exhibition”
1985 Attended the “Shenzhen National Art tour Exhibition”
1986 Artworks selected into the Fine Arts Exhibition of Guangdong Province and Districts
1992 First personal exhibition hosted by Hasegawa Art Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo
1992 Works selected into 4th International Art Grand Prize Exhibition hosted by Japanese Selection Artist Association held in Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
1992 Attended the 17th Japanese and Chinese Art Exchange Committee at Yokohama Civic Art Gallery and received the Yokohama Mayoral Award
1992 Exhibition at the Toranomon Gallery Espere, “Tenkawa Artist’s Exhibition” for the 20th Anniversary of the Normalization of Relationships between Japan and China
1993 “Shaoliang Yang Painting Exhibition” hosted by Gallery Yoyogi
1993 The 18th Japanese and Chinese Art Exchange Exhibition at the Sapporo Citizens Gallery, Received the International Art Exchange Award
1994 Joint Graduation Exhibition of the Five Art Universities of Tokyo at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
1994 “Shaoliang Yang’s Exhibition” hosted by Toranomon Gallery Espere
1994 Attended the “Next Generation Exhibition Vol. 2” hosted by Nagano Obuse Museum
1996 Attended the Graduation Exhibition of Musashino Art University
1996 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition” by Tokyo Toranomon Galerie Espere
1996 Attended the “International Art Symposium — Modern Art Exhibition” at Tokyo Toranomon
1996 Attended the “Next Generation Exhibition Vol. 4” hosted by Obuse Museum in Nagano
1996 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition” hosted by Ginza Chikyu-Dou
1997 Attended the “New Year Art Exhibition” hosted by Ginza Chikyu-Dou
1997 Attended the “This is Painting “Exhibition hosted by Ginza Chikyu-Dou
1997 Attended the “Next Generation Exhibition” hosted by Ehime Omishima Art Museum
1997 Attended the “Drawing Cherry Blossom Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Sendai Mitsukoshi
1997 “ Yang Shaoliang Artwork Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Sendai Mitsukoshi
1997 Attended the IMA Exhibition hosted by the International Modern Artist Association at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. Received the “IMA Award of the International Modern Artist Association”
1998 Attended the “Muses within Art Painting” hosted in Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Center by the Culture Promotion Business Foundation of Tokorozawa City
1998 Attended the “Next Generation Exhibition” hosted by Ehime Omishima Art Museum
1998 Attended the “Koukakai Vol. 1” hosted by Yokohama Salon D. Verdure
1999 Attended the “21 Centry’s Representative Artist Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Sendai Mitsukoshi
1999 “ Yang Shaoliang Artwork Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Sendai Mitsukoshi
1999 Attended the “Koukakai Vol. 2” hosted by Yokohama Salon D. Verdure
2000 Attended the China, Korea and Japan “Triangle relationship Art Exhibition” hosted by Ginza Inoue Gallery
2000 Attended the “Mitsukoshi Wonderful Art Fair” in New Otani Hotel
2001 Attended the “Mitsukoshi Special Art Fair” in Tokyo Dome Hall
2001 Attended the “Mitsukoshi Special Art Fair” in New Otani Hotel
2001 Attended the “α Exhibition” hosted by the Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Art Gallery
2002 Attended the “Mitsukoshi Wonderful Art Fair” hosted by the Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Art Gallery
2002 Attended the “α Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
2003 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Exploring the Wonders in the Deep Valley’ ” hosted by the Art Gallery of Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store
2003 Attended the “α Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store
2004 Attended the “Mitsukoshi Wonderful Art Fair” hosted by the Art Gallery of Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store
2004 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Collection Exhibition” hosted by Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum
2005 Attended the “α Exhibition” hosted by the Art Gallery of Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store
2007 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Fantasy Encounter with Yaochi” hosted by Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store Special Art Gallery
2007 Attended the “Second China International Art Investment and Collection Expo” in Beijing Exhibition Hall by Galerie Espere
2009 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Wandering and Exploring in the Wonderland’ ” hosted by Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Special Art Gallery
2010 “Shaoliang Yang Exhibition ‘The Artist who Painted Jiuzhai Valley, a World Heritage Site of Nature’ ” hosted by Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum
2010 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Wandering and Exploring in the Wonderland’ ” hosted by the Art Gallery of Sendai Mitsukoshi
2010 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Wandering and Exploring in the Wonderland’ ” hosted by the Art Gallery of Hiroshima Mitsukoshi
2010 Attended the “4 Chinese Artists in Japan” hosted by Tomi Umeno Memorial Picture Museum
2011 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Maiden Engraving the Irreplaceable Times’ ” hosted by Ginza Seizan Gallery
2012 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition” at Art Fair Tokyo in Tokyo Dome Hall
2013 “Shaoliang Yang Exhibition” hosted by Nagano Nakajima Chinami Exhibit - Obuse Museum
2015 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Unfettered in between Heaven and Earth’ ” hosted by Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Special Art Gallery
2018 “Shaoliang Yang Oil Painting Exhibition ‘Memories’ ” hosted by Ginza Seizan Gallery