Dong Yang

Dong Yang was born in Tianjin, China in a family of Engineers, Teachers and Doctors.

Yang’s grandfather was a very successful businessman. As a young boy, he had the opportunity to admire his grandfather’s collection of European sculptures, paintings and photos of artworks.

This inspired him to make little models of animals out of plasticine at the age of five. Yang’s fascination with animals and artistic talent were evident at an early age. As a young man, Yang attended the Tianjin Art and Crafts School, after-which he was accepted at the prestigious Central Academy of Arts in Beijing. The Dean of Sculpture at the time was the national well-known artist, Qian Shan Wu. Recognizing Yang’s extraordinary talent, Qian Shan Wu appointed Yang as his assistant, and they collaborated on many projects for over 8 years.

In 1996, Yang moved to Shanghai, and it was at this time that his career began to take off. One of his first notable commissions was the sculpture “Happy Family,” located at the entrance of East Nanjing Road, which is one of the busiest pedestrian roads in China.

Yang created “Clock” and “Equestrian – Beyond," both of which were located in the first and only 80,000-seat stadium in Shanghai at that time. “The Equestrian” Sculpture created for Beijing Olympic won the best public sculpture displayed in Wangfujing Commercial district. A pair of sculpted Lions was commissioned for replication for 5 different sizes.  One of the pair is located in front of the original HSBC bank at The Bond in Shanghai.

Over the course of his career, Yang has developed his own style that integrates the classic sculptural language with Eastern humanistic qualities. Yang has created over 100 shelf sculptures and commissioned sculptures that have won first or second place at exhibitions.
His work depicts a clear, rigorous style and displays logic of figurative sculpture. One of Yang's most notable works is “Fortune-Bull,” created in 2009, which was exhibited in the 86th Salón De Otoño of the Spanish Painters and Sculptors Association in Madrid. His sculpture “Afar” won first place in the American Art Award competition, and also won  honorable mention of the Professional League of America Artist. He was invited to Florence Biennale in 2021.

He has been named one of sixteen best sculptors in 2021 and one of eleven best sculptors in 2020 by America’s top 25 top galleries and museums. In short, Yang’s sculptures are a manifestation of his worldview towards life and nature. Dong Yang currently resides in Orange County, California.