I was born in Changsha, China, and even as a child I loved to draw
and paint. In my teenage years the chinese environment offered very few
options. I was drafted into the Chinese army at age 15, and drove a truck
from village to village showing propaganda films. Eventually, I began
painting posters and making woodcuts for the army. With the changes
in the economic and political situation, I was one of 35 students chosen
out of a pool of 4000 hopeful applicants to enter the Art institute of
the Army of China, Beijing.
After completing my studies and my degree work I stayed on for two years
with an assistant professorship at the same institute. I added a master's
degree at the Central University of Nationalities of China and then two
more years as an associate professor.
The aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protests forced me to move to
the U.S in 1990. Having experienced my formative years under such a
different cultural and political system, my first impression of the Unite
States was a big cultural shock. It is this cultural dichotomy that inspired
some of my most interesting works.
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Education and Training
| 2006 |
Certificate, Modern Art History, Otis Art College, Los Angeles |
| 1988 |
M.F.A., University of Nationalities of China, Beijing |
| 1983 |
B.F. A., Art Institute of the People’s Liberation Army of
China, Beijing |
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Solo and Two Artist
Exhibitions
| 2004 |
DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA. Five paintings, Elements show |
| 2003 |
Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ |
| 2002 |
Gallery Lasietique, Scottsdale, AZ |
| 2001 |
Gallery Lasietique, Scottsdale, AZ |
| 2000 |
Alison Fine Arts, Hong Kong |
| |
Museum West Fine Arts, San Francisco & Palo Alto, CA |
| 1999 |
Dolly Fiterman Fine Arts, Minneapolis, MN |
| 1998 |
Museum West Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA |
| |
Dai Ichi Fine Arts, New York |
| |
Alison Fine Arts, Hong Kong |
| 1997 |
Nelson/ Rovzar Gallery, Seattle, WA |
| |
Orchard Point Exhibition Hall, Singapore |
| 1996 |
Nelson/ Rovzar Gallery, Seattle, WA |
| 1991 |
Asian Fine Arts, Minneapolis, MN |
| 1990 |
Larson Gallery, University of Minnesota, MN |
| 1989 |
Crown Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan |
| 1988 |
National Art Museum of the Peoples Republic of China, Beijing |
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Group Exhibitions
| 2007 |
Brand 36 works on paper, Glendale, CA |
| 2005 |
Powers Gallery, Acton, MA |
| 2004 |
Powers Gallery, Acton, MA |
| |
Gallery North Star, Grafton, VT |
| 2003 |
“ New American Drawing 2003”, Santa Fe, NM |
| |
Minnesota Historical Museum, MN |
| 2002 |
Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND |
| |
Drawing III International Juried Art Exhibition, Omaha, NE |
| |
6th International Art Competition, Estes Park, CO |
| 2001 |
LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM |
| |
Gallery 8, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA |
| 2000 |
Dolly Fiterman Fine Arts, Minneapolis, MN |
| 1999 |
Susan Conway Gallery, Washington, DC |
| 1997 |
Collection of the Minnesota Museum of American Arts, MN |
| 1995 |
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN |
| 1995 |
Minnesota Museum of American Arts, MN |
| |
National Museum of Mexico, Mexico City |
| 1994 |
National Art Education Museum of the Republic of China, Taipei,
Taiwan |
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Special Collections
Hearts On Fire, Boston, MA
Warwick Hotel, Paris, France
The Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN
Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN
Key Investment, Minneapolis, MN
Hang Seng Bank, Hong Kong
SAP American, Philadelphia, PA-
LeeFon Corporation, Singapore
The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, MN
Dorsey & Whitney, Hong Kong Office
Minnesota Museum of American Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Dolly Fiterman Fine Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Piper Jaffray, Minneapolis, MN
The St Paul Company, Minneapolis, MN
China Times Newspaper, Taipei, China
Museum of Fu Tan Po, Osaka, Japan
Beijing Art Institute, China
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Publications
| 2001 |
5 paintings were published by Grand Image and distributed by Bruce
McGraw, New York, NY |
| 2000 |
Time, Yin & Yang (catalogue), Alison Fine Arts, Hong Kong |
| |
New Paintings by Yi Kai (catalogue), Museum West Fine Arts, USA |
| 1999 |
A Decade of paintings by Yi Kai (catalogue), Dolly Fiterman Fine
Arts, Minneapolis, MN |
| 1997 |
Painting Album of Yi Kai ( catalogue) Dynasties Art Gallery,
Singapore |
| 1989 |
Collection Painting of Yi Kai ( catalogue) Crown Art, Taipei, China |
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Awards
| 2005 |
National Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals |
| 2002 |
Best of the Show, 6th International Art Competition, Estes Park,
CO |
| 2000 |
Work included in lecture by Elizabeth Brown, Director of National
Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC |
| 1996 |
Curator’s Choice, Auction, Minneapolis College of Art and
Design, Minneapolis, MN |
| 1985 |
Award of Excellence, Beijing Art Exhibition, Beijing, China |
| 1981 |
Two Bronze Medals, National Art Exhibition of China, Beijing, China |
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Teaching Positions
| 1988-1990 |
Associate Professor, Central University of Nationalities, Beijing,
China |
| 1983-1985 |
Assistant Professor, Art Institute of the People’s Liberation
Army, Beijing, China |
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