HSIA Yan was born into a wealthy family in Xiangxiang, Hunan Provence, but raised as an orphan in Nanjing after his parents passed away early in his life. When the war began, the young artist served in the military and drifted from cities to cities before settling in Taiwan in 1949. Here, he studied art with Lee Chun-shan and founded one of the most important artist group called Tongfang Art Group with fellow students including Hsiao Chin, Huo Gang, Chen Daoming, O-yang Wen-yuan, Hsiao Ming-hsian. In 1963 he went to Paris to study art and it was during the five years that he spent there when he developed “fuzzy man,” his signature style that symbolizes the absurdity and sense of isolation of modern existence as well as the artist’s sadness for a life of vagrancy. Soon after Paris, Hsia moved to New York and explored photorealism before returning to Taiwan again in 1992. Currently he lives in Shanghai, where he continues to explore different styles and forms of contemporary art with concepts that emanate an Eastern charm that is both robust and spiritual.

• 1932 Born in Xiangxiang, Hunan, China
• 1948 Graduated from Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
• 1949 Moved to Taiwan
• 1951 Studied under painter LEE Chun-Shan
• 1955 Co-founded of “Ton Fan Group”, Taipei, Taiwan
• 1965 Studied at École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris, France, for two years
• 1968 Moved to New York, USA
• 1973 Represented by O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, USA
• 2002 Moved to Shanghai, China

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018
• “HSIA YAN: Journey to Art”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

2014
• “Yan HSIA Solo Exhibition”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2013
• “New Works by HSIA Yan”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2011
• “Yan HSIA”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Beijing, China

2008
• “Light from the East: An Exhibition of Hsia Yan’s Work”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2006
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Playing with the Lines”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
• Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2005
• “Return of the Stars”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2003
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

2000
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1999
• Dimension Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan

1998
• “Retrospective of HSIA Yan from 1954 to 1998”, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan

1996
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1995
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1994
• “Yan Hsia: Continuation and Rejuvenation–A Retrospective of His Works from 1954 to 1994”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

1993
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1992
• New Trends Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan

1991
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1989
• ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1987
• O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, USA

1984
• O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, USA

1982
• O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, USA

1980
• Graphic Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1977
• O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, USA

1974
• O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York, USA

1967
• Galerie du Haut Pave, Paris, France

1965
• Galerie du Haut Pave, Paris, France

1961
• Mi Chou Gallery, New York, USA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2019
• “Stance”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

2018
• “HSIA Yan and His times”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
• “80 SOHO”, Nan Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2017
• “For A Modern Version: Taiwan’s Transdisciplinary Plasticity in the 70s”, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• “An Ode to Thirty”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Tracing the Past and Shaping the Future, Powerlong Museum, Shanghai, China
• “Refresh”, We Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Time Machine: ‘Moment。Light。Camera’ –From Classical to Contemporary Photography Educational Exhibition”, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art, Taichung, Taiwan
• “2017 Taipei Art District Festival”, Taipei Art Industry Association, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Legend “, SPSI Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2016
• “Fifteen Years of Eye Level Artists”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “In the Light of Shadow”, XU Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “The Promise of the Past”, AroundSpace, Shanghai, China
• “Ordinary Objects”, AroundSpace , Shanghai, China

2015
• “Nine Leaves, Three Flowers, Autumn Water, and Summer Sun”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Monochrome Landscape”, AroundSpace, Shanghai, China
• Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Dawn and Then”, Haohaus, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Force 12 Hurricane”, Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2014
• “The Dream of Glory”, Lujiazui Central Greenland, Shanghai, China
• “Abstract / Symbol / Oriental–Exhibition of Taiwan’s Masters of Modern Art”, Liang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Bloom: ESLITE GALLERY 25th Anniversary”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Master Works on Paper”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Telling Details: Photorealism in Taiwan”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Hualien‧New York‧Paris”, iP Gallery, Hualien, Taiwan
• “Aquilaria Agallocha II”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2013
• “Derivations II : Unlimited Crossing”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Minguo Style”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Seeking China”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2012
• “Exploring the Wasteland – The Eight Highwaymen of the East”, Da Xiang Art Space, Taichung, Taiwan
• “Memories of Jiangnan”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Cultural Shanghai”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Wu Xing”, ITPARK, Taipei, Taiwan

2011
• “Eye Level Gallery 10th Anniversary”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Hsia Yan, Zhou Changjiang, Wang Jieyin, Xu Fuhou Works Exhibition”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Guyu”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2010
• “The Way is not merely between two points”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Beijing, China
• The 8th Shanghai Biennale “Rehearsal”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
• “Square”, Eastlink Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Perfection‧Serenity‧Substance‧Unrestraint” CHEN Hsia-yu, HSIUNG Ping-ming, HSIA YanSculpture Exhibition”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Chinese Horizons”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “A World of Ink Lines”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2009
• “Jewels of 25 years museum collection”, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Searching for China”, Eye Level Art, Nanchang, China

2008
• “Eaglewood ”, Eye Level Art, Shanghai, China

2007
• “The Search for Roots: Hsia Yan, Shang Yang and Zhou Changjiang”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Mirror: HSIA Yan, ZHOU Changjian, CHEN Junde, JIA Difei, YIN Xiong, HE Hongfei”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Chinese Imagery–HSIA Yan, SHU Fu-hou, XIANG Jing, LAI Yuan, SU Sheng-qian”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Nirvana”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China

2006
• “Shanghai Impression”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Chinese Expression: Ten Artists Joint Exhibition”, Eye Level Art, Shanghai, China
• Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “Secrets under the Parasol Tree: Four Artists in Shanghai”, Eye Level Gallery, Shanghai, China
• “IMAGERY of MT. WUYI”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2005
• “Scenery Code”, Eye Level Art, Shanghai, China
• "HSIA Yan vs. YUAN Jai”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

2003
• “Idea and Performance”, Eye Level Art, Shanghai, China
• “The Special Show of Fine Arts Festival—The Winners’ Works of National Award for Arts”, Howard Salon, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Yixiang–Joint Exhibition of Five Awardees of National Awards for Arts”, Art Center of Tainan National University of the Arts, Tainan, Taiwan

1999
• “The 3rd Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art”, Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia
• “Ton Fan Art Group Commemorative Exhibition”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1998
• “Taipei Modern Painting Show”, Shinshu Shinmachi Art Museum, Shinshu, Japan
• “Ton Fan’s Modern Memorandum–through a Colorful Bomb Shelter”, Dimension Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Hantoo Art Group Major Exhibition”, Crown Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Taipei Fine Art Museum Permanent Collection Exhibition”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

1997
• “40th Anniversary of Ton Fan Group and Fifth Moon Group”, Kaohsiung / Taichung / Taipei / Kinmen, Taiwan
• “Taipei Modern Painting Show”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

1996
• “IT Park Group Exhibition”, IT Park, Taipei, Taiwan
• “A Contemporary View of Taiwanese Arts–Hanart’s Choice”, Hanart TZ Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
• “HSIA Yan‧LIAO Shiou-Ping”, New Taipei Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Modern Art: the 40th Anniversary of Fifth Moon Group and Ton Fan Group”, G. Zen Arts Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

1995
• “Door God‧New Era–Artists Group Exhibition”, Crown Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
• “Wedding Anniversary – Couple Exhibition, Crown Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan

1994
• “Taipei Modern Art”, Bangkok National Museum, Bangkok, Thailand

1993
• “Early Works of Contemporary Artists”, Taipei, Taiwan
• “New Art, New Tribes, Taiwan Art in the Nineties”, Hanart TZ Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1991
• “The Exhibition: Taipei–New York”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• “The 35th Anniversary of Ton Fan and Fifth Moon Group Exhibition,” Taipei Times Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1990
• “Contemporary Artists Drawing Exhibition”, ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan

1987
• “Artists of Taiwan and Shanghai”, Shanghai, China

1986
• “Eleven New York Artists’ Works”, Guangdong Academy, Guangdong, China

1985
• “International Ink Painting”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• “American Realism: The Precise Image”, Isetan Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan

1984
• “Six Artists from Taiwan”, Beijing Art Museum, Beijing, China

1983
• “Paintings in New York”, Museum of the City of New York, New York, USA

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

1981
• “Visions of New York City: American Paintings, Drawings, and Prints of the 20th Century”, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1980
• “American Figure Painting 50-80”, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, USA

1979
• “Modern Art in Toledo Collections”, Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH, USA

1978
• The Alternative Center for International Arts, New York, USA

1977-78
• “Photo Realism”, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, USA

1977
• “Selection for New and Old Collections”, Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, USA

1976
• “Urban Aesthetics”, Queens Museum of Art, New York, USA
• “The Presence and Absence in Realism”, State University of New York at Potsdam, New York, USA
• “Painting and Sculpture Today 1976”, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, USA

1975
• “A Change of View”, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, USA

1974
• “Aspects of the Figure”, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, USA
• “New Realism”, Skidmore College, Saratoga Spring, USA

1965
• “Modern Art of the Republic of China”, Gallery of the Palace of Exhibitions, Rome, Italy

1964
• “Chinese Artists”, Paris, France

1962-63
• “Young Chinese Artists”, Savona / Milan, Italy

1959
• Sao Paulo Art Biennial, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• “Biennale of Young Artists”, Paris, France

1957
• The first and successive Ton Fan Painting Exhibitions in Taiwan, Europe, and America

1956
• “The 1956 National of Paintings and Calligraphies”, Taiwan

AWARD

2000
• The National Award for Arts (Fine Arts) by the National Culture and Arts Foundation 4th Literary and Arts Award

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

• Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
• National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
• Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
• China Art Museum, Shanghai, China