Yafeng Duan
Yafeng Duan (*1973, Hebei, China) grew up in Baoding and currently resides in Berlin. In 1998, she already presented her first solo exhibition at the Lianchi Museum in Boading. The following year, she began studying traditional ink painting at the Central Academy for Fine Arts in Beijing (CAFA), until 2001. In 2004, she moved to Alfter, in Germany, where she studied Painting at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, for a year. A pivotal period in her artistic career was the six years of studying Freie Kunst at Bauhaus University in Weimar, graduating in 2011, while concurrently attending Robert Lucander’s classes at the Berlin University of the Arts.

An important role in the formation of Yafeng Duan as an artist was played by her father, Duan Xinran, a prominent figure in traditional Chinese ink painting, who played a crucial role in shaping her artistic perspective. Yafeng Duan's art is imbued with dualities such as light and density, thin and broad lines, floating colors and solid surfaces. This interplay gives life to abstract paintings, reminiscent of Kandinsky, establishing a dialogue between East and West. It is a unique approach enriched by the Chinese concept of Qi, which permeates her works as a meditative technique and a tool to expand pictorial spaces.

Yafeng Duan has mainly exhibited in museums and galleries in Germany and China, including notable venues such as the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn, Galerie Michael Janssen in Berlin, Neues Museum in Weimar, Galerie Rothamel in Erfurt, and Alexander Ochs Private Berlin, and Hebei Museum in Shijiazhuang.
  • Upcoming
    Feb 8 - Apr 6, 2024
    LUCID, solo exhibition

    Jun 10-16, 2024
    VOLTA Basel
  • Past