Lot 305, Auction 4/20/2026: 2 Yang Yang Mixed Media Paintings – Figures & Animals

$455.00

In stock

Yang Yang (Chinese, b. 1953). Two mixed media drawings: ink, paint, and watercolor on paper, n.d. Both signed at lower left. This expressive pair of mixed media works by Yang Yang captures his hallmark fusion of human and animal forms in fluid, dreamlike states. One drawing presents a female nude merging seamlessly with a horse-like creature, her stance both commanding and ambiguous, while the second shows a robust figure reclining against an animal companion with an almost mask-like visage. Rendered in ink, watercolor, and paint, the compositions employ Yang’s restrained yet evocative palette of grays, blues, and ochres, punctuated by washes of orange and green. The linear contours and washes of color resist full resolution, instead leaving space for multiple interpretations – a hallmark of Yang’s philosophy that art provokes thought rather than providing answers. Size of drawing (both the same): 11.5″ W x 8.5″ H (29.2 cm x 21.6 cm); of frame: 15.5″ W x 12.5″ H (39.4 cm x 31.8 cm)

Yang Yang’s practice is rooted in a lifelong exploration of humanity through mythical landscapes where human and animal coexist. Trained first in China under influential mentors before moving to the United States in the 1980s, Yang developed a vision that dissolves cultural boundaries and embraces ambiguity. These two works exemplify that approach: their hybrid figures occupy a liminal space between myth and memory, inviting viewers to step into an illusory world where meaning is not dictated but discovered.

Framed in ornate gilt frames that enhance their timeless, almost folkloric quality, the pair demonstrates Yang Yang’s ability to balance spontaneity of line with the weight of symbolic narrative. They stand as compelling examples of the artist’s international career, which has spanned over four decades of exhibitions across the United States and abroad.

About the artist: Born in 1953 in Nanchang, China, Yang Yang grew up in a household grounded in both engineering and education. His father, Yang Ge, was an engineer and his mother, Qi Hua Ling, a teacher. At age sixteen, Yang encountered the painter Zhu Yu Hu, whose influence would remain profound throughout his life. He later described Zhu not merely as an art teacher but as a mentor who shaped both his artistic foundation and his philosophical outlook.

In 1975, Yang graduated from Yichun Teachers College in Jiangxi. He began his teaching career at Xiao Gang High School and later taught at Nanchang Qishanhu School, balancing his duties as a literature instructor with an increasing devotion to art. During this period he also pursued further study at Jiangxi Teachers College, where professors Qixianmu and Zhang Yuanyou left a lasting impact on him – Yang would later call them “soul makers.”

In 1984, Yang Yang made a pivotal decision: he left China and moved to the United States to deepen his artistic studies. At Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, he earned his Master of Arts degree in 1987 and joined the faculty there as an art instructor. His years in the Midwest proved formative, both academically and artistically, and introduced his works to American audiences for the first time. His early exhibitions gained critical attention, with works featured in publications such as “ArtNews,” “Interview Magazine,” and “Art & Antiques.”

Yang Yang’s art is marked by its mythical landscapes where animals and humans coexist in fluid, ambiguous states. His palette often gravitates toward monochromatic tones, layering texture and form to explore humanity in ways that defy racial or ethnic boundaries. His works provoke interpretation rather than provide resolution. As the artist himself has said: “There is no answer. You just have to think about it. If the artist does not tell the story, there will be a thousand stories.”

Throughout his career, Yang Yang has exhibited widely across the United States and internationally. He has shown at major institutions such as the Xi’an Art Museum in 2004, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 2007, and the ShanDong Art Museum in 2014. His work has been collected by notable institutions including the Mobile Museum of Art and continues to appear at international fairs such as Art Basel, Art Palm Beach, Scope Miami, and Art Hamptons.

With more than four decades of work, Yang Yang has cultivated a vision that transcends cultural boundaries. His paintings invite audiences into an illusory world – one where myth, history, and memory intermingle, and where every viewer becomes a storyteller.

Condition: Both mounted behind glass in custom frames; have not been examined outside of glass. Both have possible wrinkling to bottom edges of paper, but are otherwise in excellent overall condition and signed at lower left. Chipping to corners of one frame, but other is intact. Both frames have suspension wires on versos for display.

Provenance: private Burbank, Illinois, USA collection via inheritance 2024, acquired between 1970s to 2000s

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