David DIAO is deeply influenced by New York's abstract painting trend in the 1960s, and he has been striving to expand the limitations of the abstract forms. He came to create conceptual painting that is emblematized and features intellectual debate and self-reflexive qualities.

Born in Chengdu, China in 1943, DIAO moved to Hong Kong in 1949, and in 1955, he left for New York, where he came to settle down and obtain his bachelor's degree in philosophy. During the 1960s and 1970s, his works mainly explored the varying possibilities of formal composition and inclined to geometric abstract art. At that time, he was one of the very few Chinese artists having won recognition in the West. However, he gradually learned that abstract art could not satisfy his desire to respond to the surrounding reality and history through painting. In the late 70s, he halted painting, went to Paris for new inspiration, and conducted comprehensive research on the linguistic features of modernist painting. In 1984, DIAO returned to New York art scene with the work Glissement, bringing into his painting his concerns for the surroundings. Thus, he found a way to break through the fossilized formalism in abstract art. Letters and characters, diagrams, and statistics became his painterly languages, and his lines of thinking often developed in the contexts of art history, linguistics, and sociology. He appropriated, simulated, and juxtaposed the symbols of such art giants as Franz Kline and Barnett Newman. Also, he exercised analysis and critique on art history and art market, with his own resume and sales record also becoming the target of self-ridicule. Particular insight and sense of humor scintillate in his work.

In late 1980s when postcolonial issues became ever more heated, DIAO also began to dissect his own subjectivity as a Chinese immigrant and artist in the West, in the way he analyzed the iconic artists. In the series about Da Hen Li and Hong Kong, he employs the materials and images from his families as well as the celebrity image such as Bruce LEE to trace his childhood memory in Chengdu and Hong Kong. Along the way, the construction of his own culture and ideology is re-examined as well. For David DIAO, his painting is concerned with process art rather than something mysterious. As he said, "If what you're doing can be reconstituted by the viewer, you're dealing the viewer into the image."

• 1943 Born in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
• 1949 Moved to Hong Kong, China
• 1955 Moved to New York, USA
• 1964 B.A., Department of Philosophy, Kenyon College, Gambier, USA
• 1970-2000 Teaching in the Independent Study Program at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA
• 1997-2000 Appointed Visiting Critic to the College of Art, Architecture and Planning at Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
• 2012 Elected Academician of National Academy of Design, New York, USA

Now lives and works in New York, USA

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018
• “David Diao: Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors”, ShanghART, Beijing, China

2017
• “HongKong Boyhood”, Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA
• “America Beckoning”, Gund Gallery, Knox, USA

2016
• "David Diao: Ref: Barnett Newman", Office Baroque, Brussels, Belgium

2015
• "David Diao", Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China

2014
• "David Diao: Front to Back", The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, USA
• "Melnikov", Galeria Marta Cervera, Madrid, Spain

2013
• "TMI", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

2012
• "David Diao: Franklin Street, 5th fl, 1974-2012" (organized by Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin), 72 Franklin Street, New York, USA

2011
• "David Diao: Da Hen Li House, I Lived There until I Was 6 …", MC Contemporary, Madrid, Spain
• "Design Matters", Galeria Marta Cervera, Madrid, Spain

2010
• "David Diao", Office Baroque, Antwerp, Belgium

2009
• "I Lived There until I Was 6 …", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

2008
• "Best Laid Plans", Tanya Leighton Gallery, Berlin, Germany
• "Da Hen Li House: David Diao Solo Exhibition", Courtyard Gallery, Beijing, China

2005
• "Demolished / At Risk", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA
• "Co To Jest Konstuktywizm & After", Galeria Arsenal, Bialystok; Galeria Klimy Bochenska, Warsaw, Poland

2000
• Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1999
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1997
• "Histoires et Fictions, Peintures Recentes de David Diao", La Criée Centre d'Art Contemporain; Galerie du TNB, Rennes, France

1995
• "The Bitter Tea of General Yen", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1994
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1993
• "Barnett Newman: 1 Painting & 5 Prints", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1992
• "Vendus", École Nationale d'Art de Dijon, Dijon, France

1991
• "Selections 1972-1991", ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
• "1969-1991. . . a real allegory", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1990
• Galerie Claire Burrus, Paris, France
• "Het Kruithuis", Museum voor Hedendaagse Kunst, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
• Provinciaal Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Oostende, Belgium

1989
• Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA
• Galerie Joseph Dutertre, Rennes, France
• Musée d'Art Moderne, Saint Étienne, France

1988
• Galerie Westersingel 8, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1986
• Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1985
• Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1980
• Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, USA

1979
• Arts Club of Chicago, Chicago, USA
• Tyler Gallery, Temple University, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA

1978
• 115 Spring Street (Artist's Studio), New York, USA

1975
• Betty Cuningham Gallery, New York, USA

1974
• Jared Sable Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Cuningham Ward Gallery, New York, USA

1973
• Dunkelman Gallery, Toronto, Canada

1972
• Reese Palley Gallery, New York, USA

1971
• Dunkelman Gallery, Toronto, Canada

1970
• New Gallery, Cleveland, USA
• Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, USA

1969
• Galleria Francoise Lambert, Milan, Italy
• "Sheetrock", Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, US

SELECTED 2-PERSON AND 3-PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2014
•  "Christian Bjone + David Diao", The Glass House, New Canaan, USA

2012
•  "Walid Raad & David Diao", Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, USA

2011
•  "One Suitcase Per Person: David Diao / Ken Lum / Hiram To", 1aSpace, Hong Kong, China

2005
•  "David Diao / Gang Zhao", Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, China

2003
• "David Diao / Gang Zhao: at Mid Career", Asian American Arts Center, New York, USA

1988
• "Michael Corris, David Diao, Olivier Mosset", Shafrazi Gallery, New York, USA

1972
• "David Diao and Cy Twombly", Hampshire College, Amherst, USA

1969
• "Scenic Landmarks of New York Presents a Scenic Landmark for Toronto", David Diao and Brice Marden, Carmen Lamanna Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• "David Diao and Peter Young", Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, USA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2017
• “David Diao”, Park Place Gallery, New York, USA
• “Alt-facts”, Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

2015
• “Affinity Atlas”, Tang Teaching Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, USA
• "Museum Studies", Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, USA

2014
• "Some Artists", Minus Space, Brooklyn, USA
• "Whitney Biennial 2014", Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA
• "David Diao / Two Generations of Color Painting (1970) in ICA@50", Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
• "What Is to Come Has Already Arrived", Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Seville, Spain

2013
• "Swing State", Jane Kim Gallery, New York, USA

2012
• "Conceptual Abstraction", Hunter College / Times Square Gallery, New York, USA
• "Context Message", Zach Feuer Gallery, New York, USA
• "Richteriana", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA
• "Open::Closed", 601Artspace, New York, USA
• "Painters Panting", Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, USA
• "The Annual: 2012", National Academy Museum, New York, USA

2011-12
• "The Indiscipline of Painting: International Abstraction from the 1960s to Now", Tate St. Ives, Cornwall; Mead Gallery, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

2011
• "Art / Système / Poésie", In Situ / Fabienne Leclerc, Paris, France
• "The Horizon Behind Us", The Kaleidoscope Project Space, Milan, Italy

2010
• "Lonely at the Top: Modern Dialect", Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
• "Matthew Brannon, Mathew Cerletty, David Diao, Daniel Sinsel", Office Baroque, Antwerp, Belgium

2009
• "Images & (Re)Présentations", Magasin-CNAC, Grenoble, France

2008
• "Unnamable Name", Københavns Hovedbibliothek, Copenhagen, Denmark

2008-2006
• "High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting 1967-1975", ZKM | Museum of Contemporary Art, Karlsruhe, Germany; Neue Galerie Graz, Graz, Austria; Museo de Arte Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico; National Academy Museum, New York; American University Museum, Washington DC; Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, USA

2007
• "Dialogues", Le Quartier, Centre d’Art Contemporain de Quimper, Quimper, France
• "Stripes", The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, USA

2005
• "Dreaming of a More Better Future", Reinberger Galleries, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, USA
• "Beyond: An Extraordinary Space of Experimentation for Modernization", The Second Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
• "Design for Living", Islip Art Museum, East Islip, USA
• "Les apparencees sont souvent trompeuses", CAPC Musée D’Art Contemporain, Bordeaux, France
• "Open ! Kuandu Extravaganza", Kuandu Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

2004
• "About Painting", The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, USA

2003-04
• "Black Belt", The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; Santa Monica Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA

2003
• "The Inverse Mirror", Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
• "Temporal Surfaces", Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

2001
• "The Sensibility of the 80s", Thomas Ammann Fine Art AG, Zurich, Switzerland

2000
• "Personal Space: The Domesticated Long Island Landscape", Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, USA

1999
• Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, USA

1998
• "Dijon / le consortium.coll, Tout contre l'art contemporain", Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
• Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York, USA

1997
• “After the Fall: Aspects of Abstract Painting since 1970”, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden , Staten Island, USA

1996
• “Landscape Reclaimed”, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, USA
• “Thinking Print: Books to Billboards, 1980-95”, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
• “Time Wise”, Swiss Institute, New York, USA

1995
• "The Bitter Tea of General Yen", Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1994
• “Die Orte der Kunst”, Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany
• “East / West, Cross Cultural Influences in Painting”, E.S. Vandam, New York, USA
• “About Time, Testwall”, TZ’Art & Co., New York, USA
• “Crash”, Thread Waxing Space, New York, USA

1993
• “Neither East nor West: Seven Contemporary New York Artists”, Taipei Gallery, New York, USA

1992
• “Gegen den Strich—Against the Grain”, Galerie Theuretzbacher, Vienna, Austria
• “C’est pas la fin du monde—un point de vue des annees 80”, La Cour d’Or, Musée de Metz, France
• “Génériques, le Visuel et l’Ecrit”, Hôtel des Arts, Fondation Nationale des Arts, Paris, France
• “Oeuvres Americaines, Autour de la Collection”, FRAC, Dijon, France
• “Slow Art: Painting in New York Now”, Museum of Modern Art P.S.1, New York, USA
• “then & NOW”, Philippe Staib Gallery, New York, USA
• “Quotations”, The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, USA
• “En Noir et Blanc”, Galerie du TNB, Rennes, France

1991
• “Conceptual Abstraction”, Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, USA
• “Schwerelos”, Grossen Orangerie, Charlottenberg Castle, Berlin, Germany
• “Le Consortium Collectionne”, Chateau d’Oiron, Oiron, France
• “Words & #s”, Museum of Contemporary Art, Wright State University, Dayton, USA
• Marta Cervera Gallery, New York, USA
• “The Construction of Knowledge”, Diane Brown Gallery, New York, USA
• “La Peinture abstraite dans la collection du FRAC Bretagne”, La Quartier, Centre d’Art Contemporain de Quimper, Quimper, France

1990-91
• “PASTFUTURETENSE”, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg; Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

1990
• “The Charade of Mastery: Deciphering Modernism in Contemporary Art”, Whitney Museum of American Art, Downtown at Federal Reserve Plaza, New York, USA
• “Abstract Painting: the Late Eighties”, Lawrence Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, USA
• “All Quiet on the Western Front?” Espace Dieu, Paris, France

1989
• “Une Autre Affaire”, Le Consortium, Dijon, France
• Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA
• “Jet Lag”, Turon Travel, Inc., New York, USA
• “Mind and Matter: New American Abstraction”, United States Information Agency, Washington, D.C., USA; National Museum of Singapore, Singapore; Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan; National Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Manila Art Museum, Manila, Philippines
• “Diagrams and Surrogates”, Shea and Beker Gallery, New York, USA
• “Diao, Dona, Goldstein, and Ladda”, Krygier / Landau Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, USA

1988-90
• “Hybrid Neutral: Mode of Abstraction and the Social”, traveling exhibition, Independent Curators, Inc., New York, USA

1988
• “Art at the End of the Social”, Rooseum Center for Contemporary Art, Malmö, Sweden
• “Discreet Formalities”, Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, USA
• “Meaningful Geometry”, Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA

1987
• “Generations of Geometry: Abstract Painting in America since 1930”, Whitney Museum of American Art at Equitable Center, New York, USA
• “Post-Abstract Abstraction”, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, USA
• “Geometry”, Islip Art Museum, East Islip, USA
• “Michael Corris, David Diao, IFP”, Le Consortium, Dijon, France
• “Avant-Garde in the 80’s”, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA

1986
• “Tableaux Abstraits”, Centre National d’Art Contemporain, Villa Arson, Nice, France
• “Ultrasurd”, S.L Simpson Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• “Painting and Objects”, Postmasters Gallery, New York, USA
• “Geometry in the 80’s”, Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries, Wright State University, Dayton, USA
• “Paravision”, Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
• “Red”, Massimo Audiello Gallery, New York, USA
• “Abstract Appropriations”, Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York, USA
• “Spiritual America”, CEPA Gallery, Buffalo, USA

1985
• “Cult and Decorum”, Tibor de Nagy Gallery, New York, USA
• “The Non-Objective World”, Kamikaze Club, New York, USA

1983
• “The Terminal Show”, Brooklyn, New York, USA

1982
• “The Chinese Response: Paintings by Leading Overseas Artists”, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, China

1981
• “Geometric Abstraction: A New Generation”, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, USA

1979
• “Mind Set: An Ongoing Involvement with the Rational Tradition”, John Weber Gallery, New York, USA

1977
• “The New York School: The State of the Art”, New York State Museum, Albany, USA

1973
• “Prospect 73: Maler, Painters, Peintres”, Stadtische Kunsthalle, Dusseldorf, Germany
• “1st Whitney Biennial”, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA

1972
• “8 New York Painters”, Berkeley Art Museum, University of California, Berkeley, USA

1971
• “White on White: The White Monochrome in 20th Century”, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago, USA

1970
• “Two Generations of Color Painting”, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
• “Using Walls”, Jewish Museum, New York, USA

1969
• “Annual Exhibition”, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA
• “The Albert Pilavin Collection: 20th Century American Art”, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, USA

1967
• Park Place Gallery, New York, USA

AWARDS

2015
• Grants to Artists (Visual Arts), Foundation for Contemporary Arts, New York, USA

2012
• National Academy Award for Excellence, New York, USA

1973
• Guggenheim Fellowship (Creative Arts), John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, USA & Canada

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

• Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• M+ Collection, Hong Kong, China
• Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, USA
• Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
• Akron Art Museum, Akron, USA
• Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA
• Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, USA
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, USA
• Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
• Fédération nationale d’Achat des Cadres (FNAC), France
• Musée d’Art Moderne, Saint Étienne, France
• Fonds régional d’art contemporain (FRAC), France
• Ontario Art Gallery, Toronto, Canada
• Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada