Born in Jilin City, Jilin Province. Start learning traditional Chinese landscape painting in 1978 and graduated from Changchun Normal College in 1987. Huang Yan is one of the contemporary representatives of avant-garde artists in China. From 1994, he has started using oil painting and camera to record his concepts and performances. His creative works are diversified. He always put the traditional painting and behavioral factors into his photography and put the contemporary factors into painting. Since 1997, his solo exhibitions have been held in different countries over the world including: 2006 "Zen painting", Beijing, China; 2005 "Huang Yan Solo Exhibition", London, UK; 2003 "History of Landscape", Beijing, China; 1997 "Postal Art of Huang Yan", Beijing, China. , New Contemporary Chinese art Revolution", Cuba; 2006 "Boundless Pause", Beijing, China; 2005 "Sigg Collection of Contemporary Chinese Art", Switzerland; 2004 "Between Past and Future, New Photography and Video from China, USA; New Perspectives in Chinese Painting, Milan, Italy; 2001 "Biennale de Chengdu", Chengdu, China. His artworks are collected by important museums all over the world.