Xiao Yu was born in 1965 in Inner Mongolia, China. He graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (China) in 1989. He now lives and works in Hong Kong. As one of the most significant conceptual artists in China, Xiao addresses themes of the human condition in contemporary society, employing rich visual forms to explore the expressive potential of artistic language. He is inspired by traditional Chinese culture and society, from which Xiao forms his own ways of expression.
Xiao was invited to participate in international exhibitions such as the 15th Istanbul Biennale (2014), the Offsite Project of the Guangzhou Triennial at the Royal College of Art, London (2012), Shanghai Biennale (2004), the 49th Venice Biennale Theme Exhibition (2001), the 5th Lyon Biennale (2000), etc. His works have been exhibited in the Pompidou Cultural Center (Paris), Groningen Art Museum (Groningen), Kunsthalle Graz (Graz), Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (Fukuoka), Seoul Museum of Art (Seoul), Kunstmuseum Bern (Bern), The Museum Tinguely (Basel), Royal College of Art Gallery London (London), the National Art Museum of China (Beijing), Shanghai Art Museum (Shanghai), Guangdong Museum of Art (Guangzhou), UCCA (Beijing), and Pace Beijing (Beijing). Xiao is also the winner of the 2000 Chinese Contemporary Art Award.
