Nan Qi

born 1960 Yongkang Zhejiang China
lives in Beijing
Born in Yongkang, Zhejiang in 1960, Nan Qi was trained in classical landscape ink painting at the People’s Liberation Army Fine Arts Academy in Beijing. Currently lives in beijing, China. Nan Qi has been renowned for the innovative use of his eponymous "Nan Qi dots" in creating ink paintings. In his early works, he presented multiple credit card logos, currency notes, or military parades, composed by myriads of overlaid ink dots with an effect of eerie 3-D. Since 2010s, he have been devoting to landscape painting. Deriving inspiration from ancient masters including Guo Xi from the Song Dynasty and Huang Gongwang from the Yuan Dynasty, Nan Qi has contemporised the historical landscapes with the use of his 3-D dots, resulting in a monochrome, hazy vista that is at once both challenging and cutting edge, resembles Pop Art.

During his artistic career, Nan has held over 100 solo and group exhibitions worldwide, including in the US, Italy, India, China, and more. Notable biennials include Shenzhen International Ink Biennial (2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2016); Beijing International Art Biennial (2003, 2005, 2008, 2010); and Chengdu Biennial (2007). Recent important ink exhibitions include New Ink Art in China 1978-2017, Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China (2018); Ink Painting on Going: 2000-2019, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China (2020); and Tracing Forward, 10th Anniversary of Being and Inking: Documenting Contemporary Ink Art, Kui Yuan Gallery, Guangzhou, China (2026).

Alisan Fine Arts has been representing Nan Qi since the 2010s. In 2019, we held a solo exhibition for him, Borrowed Landscapes: New Ink by Nan Qi. His works have also been exhibited in several group exhibitions at the gallery, including 3-Dimensional Ink, Contemporary Forms of Ink Painting, Tradition Transformed, ​​as well as art fairs such as Art Basel Hong Kong, Art SG in Singapore, Art 021 in Shanghai, and Fine Art Asia in Hong Kong.

His works are in the collections of numerous institutions, including The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore; Foundation of Chinese Art Development, Singapore; National Museum of China, Beijing, China; China Huaneng Group, Beijing, China; Wuhan Art Museum, Wuhan, China; UBS AG Shanghai, China; Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai, China; Consul General of France in Shanghai, China; Autumn Water Art Foundation, Shanghai, China; Burger Collection, Hong Kong; The Timide Maus Collection Art Foundation, Hong Kong; Lohas Park, Nan Fung, Hong Kong.










BIOGRAPHY
1960    Born in Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province, China
1986    Graduated from the Chinese Painting Department, People’s Liberation Army Fine Arts Academy, Beijing, China
2019    Established a studio in Shanghai, China
Present     Lives and works in Beijing, China
Member of the Chinese Artists’ Association

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026
  • Tribute to Tradition: Nan Qi Ink Art Exhibition, Laojia Art Museum, Beijing, China (Until July 12)
2025
  • Resonance: Nan Qi, Dasheng Art Park, Shanghai, China
2023
  • Nan Qi Nan Qi, Renke Art, Hangzhou, China
  • Lei Feng in Yangzhou: Nan Qi's Artistic Research & Exhibition, Lake Cottage, Yangzhou, China
  • Two Brothers Solo Exhibition, Jindu Art Centre, Beijing, China

2021
  • Paddy Waves and Nine Peaks, T-art Space, Shanghai, China

2019
2017
  • Ink.Dot.Pop the Art of Nan Qi, The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore

2016
  • Art Home: Power of Dots, Green Art Asia, Basel, Switzerland

2015  
  • New Era Ink: An Exhibition of Works by Nan Qi, The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore
  • Nan Qi Contemporary Ink Exhibition, Art Plural Gallery, Singapore
  • Art Car: Car, Power, Sex Pop-Up Exhibition, Green Art Asia, Hong Kong
2014  
  • Source Point: Nan Qi Contemporary Ink Exhibition, Shanghai Dingyi Fund, Shanghai, China
2013   
  • Power. Sex. Money. A Solo Exhibition by Nan Qi, Art Plural Gallery, Singapore
2012  
  • London 2012 China Art Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK
2011  
  • Digital Ink Images: Art by Nan Qi, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Eerie 3-D: 3-D Ink Art by Nan Qi, G-Dot Art Space, Beijing, China
2006   
  • Ink and Sex Series: Works by Nan Qi, Yisulang Art Gallery, Singapore
1998
  • Landscape and Seascape: Nan Qi Ink Painting Exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong       
1997  
  • Ink Paintings by Nan QiShanghart Gallery, Shanghai, China
1989
  • Landscape Paintings by Nan Qi, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 

2026
  • Tracing Forward, 10th Anniversary of Being and Inking: Documenting Contemporary Ink Art, Kui Yuan Gallery, Guangzhou, China (18-26 Jul)
2025
2023-2024      
  • City Lights: Shanghai Urban Household Gallery Era Special Art Exhibition, Yun Art Centre, Shanghai, China

2023  

2022  

  • Language and Speech: An Exhibition Experiment Rooted in Linguistic Structure, Songzhuang Contemporary Art Archive, Beijing, China
  • Shanghai Urban Contemporary Sculpture and Installation Expo, Shanghai, China

2020

2019

2018

  • New Ink Art in China 1978-2017, Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China
  • Ink Change: Invitational Exhibition of Experimental Ink Art, Art Museum of Academy of Fine Arts, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
  • Tradition and Change: A Dialogue in the Process of Ink Painting, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Spearhead: Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Ink, Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Manifesto of Neo-Modern Ink Art, G-Dot Art Space, Beijing, China
2017   
2016
  • Being and Inking: Documenting Contemporary Ink Art 2001-2016, Redtory Museum of Contemporary Art, Guangzhou, China
  • The Figures in Ink Painting, Art Museum of Academy of Fine Arts, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
  • Contemporary Chinese Ink Almanac Exhibition 2015-2016, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
  • 9th Shenzhen International Ink Biennial, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
  • 1st Invitational Exhibition of Emei International Contemporary Art, Emei Contemporary Art Museum, Sichuan, China
2015   
  • Like/Not Like: Contemporary Ink Exhibition, Wuhan Art Space, Wuhan, China
  • Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Art, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India; Bangladesh National Museum, Dhaka, Bangladesh 
2014   
  • Western Clouds and Eastern Language: Chinese Contemporary Art Research Exhibition, He Art Museum, Wuhan, China
  • Ethereal Dimness: New Water Ink Research Series, Avant-Garde Contemporary Art Centre, Nanjing, China
  • In Retrospect: Contemporary Ink Exhibition, Art Space 21, Shanghai, China
2013   
  • Water and Ink Methods: Chinese Academic Invitational Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
  • Re-Portrait: Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Hubei Museum of Art, Wuhan, China
  • Ink Articles: The Creation of Cultural Context, Wuhan Art Museum, Wuhan, China
  • Freehand China: Mostra Degli Artisti Nominati Cina Contemporanea Dei Quadri Ad Inchiostri, Casa Dei Carraresi, Treviso, Italy
  • Way: Contemporary Ink Art Exhibition, Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Re-Ink: Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Ink Painting 2000-2012, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
  • In Retrospect: An Exhibition of Works by Nan Qi, Cai Guangbin and Zhang Quan, G-Dot Art Space, Beijing, China
  • Re-History: Contemporary Chinese Art Invitational Touring Exhibition, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen; G-Dot Art Space, Beijing; Today Art Museum, Beijing, China                                
  • New Dimensions in Ink: 1st Nomination Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Ink, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2012   
  • Re-History: Contemporary Chinese Art Invitational Touring Exhibition, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen; Hubei Art Museum, Hubei, China                          
2011   
  • Art Beijing, Beijing, China     
2010  
  • 4th Beijing International Art Biennial, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China  
  • China International Gallery Expo, Beijing, China  
  • Art Beijing, Beijing, China  
  • Beijing Biennial 2010, Caochangdi Gallery of Art, Beijing, China  
  • Through History Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, G-Dot Art Space, Beijing, China  
2009   
  • Historical Image Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen; Hubei Art Museum, Hubei; China
  • International Gallery Expo, Beijing, China
  • Art Beijing, Beijing, China    
2008   
  • 3rd Beijing International Art Biennial, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China    
  • Songzhuang Life Autumn Exhibition, Songzhuang Art Centre, Beijing, China    
  • Catharsis Invitational Exhibition, JiuChang Art, Beijing, China
  • Ink/Not Ink: Chinese Contemporary Ink Painting Invitational Exhibition, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen; Today Art Museum, Beijing, China; Kimmel Center of Performing Arts, Philadelphia, United States
  • 6th Shenzhen International Ink Biennial, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China    
  • Asia in Harmony: 23rd Asian International Art Exhibition, City Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China    
  • Contemporary Figurative Chinese Ink Painting Invitational Exhibition, Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China    
  • Art Beijing, Beijing, China    
  • Chinese Desires: Li Jin, Wu Yi, Nan Qi, The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore
2007
  • 3rd Chengdu Biennial, Contemporary Art Museum, Chengdu, China
  • 2nd Invitational Exhibition of Songzhuang Ink Painters Society, Songzhuang East Arts Centre, Beijing, China
2006   
  • 2nd Exhibition of Chinese Art Today, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China                               
  • Contemporary Ink Invitational Exhibition, Songzhuang East Arts Centre, Beijing, China
  • Ink and Sex Invitational Exhibition, Jiuchang Art, Beijing, China                                     
  • Waves: Contemporary Chinese Ink and Wash Methods, Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, Tianjin, China        
  • Chinese Ink and Wash Documenta 1976-2006, Nanjing National Museum, Nanjing, China
2005 
  • 2nd Beijing International Art Biennial, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 
  • Extreme Brushwork۰Art Guideline: Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China   
2004 
  • New Expressionist: Chinese Ink Painting Invitational Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
  • Ink/Wash and the City: 4th Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennial, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China  
  • New Works by Six New Expressionist Chinese Painters, Yisulang Art Gallery, Singapore
2003   
  • 1st Beijing International Art Biennial, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
  • New Expressionist: Chinese Ink Painting Invitational Exhibition, Yan Huang Art Museum, Beijing, China
2002   
  • 3rd Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennial: Ink/Wash and the City, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
2000  
  • 2nd Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennial: Ink/Wash and the City, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
1990   
  • Exhibition of Chinese Paintings by Liu Dawei and Nan Qi, Art Gallery of Changfugong Hotel, Beijing, China
1987   
  • Celebratory Exhibition of 60th Anniversary of People’s Liberation Army, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

SELECTED AWARDS
2018   Cultural and Artistic Outstanding Contribution Award, International Olympic Committee Samaranch Foundation, Shanghai, China
2003   2nd Golden Prize Exhibition of Chinese Art Excellence AwardYanhuang Art Museum, Beijing, China
2002   European International Fine Arts Exchange Contribution Award, Rotterdam, Netherlands               
2000   Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau 2000 Art Exhibition Best Work Award, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 
1999   9th Chinese National Art Exhibition Excellence AwardNational Art Museum of China, Beijing, China      
1996   19th Japanese International Art Exhibition Special Association Award, Ginza Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
1988   Great Wall Exhibition Second PrizeNational Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1987   Celebratory Exhibition of 60th Anniversary of People’s Liberation Army Excellence Award, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

SELECTED COLLECTIONS 
The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore
Foundation of Chinese Art Development, Singapore
National Museum of China, Beijing, China
China Huaneng Group, Beijing, China
Wuhan Art Museum, Wuhan, China
UBS AG Shanghai, China
Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai, China
Consul General of France in Shanghai, China
Autumn Water Art Foundation, Shanghai, China
Burger Collection, Hong Kong
The Timide Maus Collection Art Foundation, Hong Kong
Lohas Park, Nan Fung, Hong Kong

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