Darian (Yijian) Duan (born December 12, 1974) is a Chinese painter from Jiangsu Province. He holds a Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Fine Arts, Nanjing Normal University, and has established an independent career dedicated to artistic creation.
Under the guidance of his teachers, Darian (Yijian) Duan gradually embarked on an independent path of artistic exploration and creation.
His early works centered on traditional Chinese ink painting, calligraphy, and porcelain painting, later extending to oil painting and related media. His artistic practice integrates traditional techniques of painting and calligraphy with contemporary approaches, incorporating elements of expressionism, surrealism, abstraction, and graffiti to express freedom and stylistic diversity.
Through cross-media experimentation, he has demonstrated a distinctive curiosity and creative vitality. In recent years, he has been based in Melbourne, Australia, where he continues to develop and exhibit his work.
2011– In October, published “Collected Works of Darian Duan’s Chinese Paintings”and held a launch ceremony.
2011– In November, curated and organized the large-scale exhibition "The First Reshaping Oriental Aesthetics in Nanjing Province.
2012– In December, held "Resonant Brush and Ink: Contemporary Young Artists —Guobao Wu & Yijian
Duan' calligraphy and painting joint exhibition at the Jiangsu Province State Art Museum
2013– In May, curated and organized the large-scale exhibition "The Second Reshaping Oriental Aesthetics” in the city of Nanjing and Shanghai.
2014– Took part in the touring exhibition "The Third National Nine Cities Art Exhibition which was held in Chengdu, Xi’an, Wu Han, Beijing]Jinan, and other cities.
2014– In December, held a large-scale solo exhibition "Perceive · Discern ·Darian — Chinese Paintings by Darian Duan”at the Yaming Art Museum in Hefei, Anhui Province.
2017– Participated in the “Contemporary Ink: Three-Person Joint Exhibition at the Yan Huang Art Museum, Beijing.
2022– In January, participated in the “Ever-Changing: Seven-Person Modern Ink Exhibition” in the city of Zhang Jiagang.
2021– In August, Participated in a solo exhibition presented by Gallery Baird.
2025– In August, Participated in the 2025 Affordable Art Fair in Melbourne.
2025– In Octomber, Participated in 2025 Melbourne Ceramic Art Fair
Creative “knife painting” of porcelain
My work is grounded in a deep understanding of traditional porcelain techniques and underglaze polychrome painting, while exploring ways to integrate contemporary artisticconcepts. Each piece begins with careful preparation of the ceramic body,establishing a form suitable for further intervention, and with the deliberateselection and preparation of glazes and pigments to meet the intended creativeobjectives.
In painting, line serves as the primary element, combined withtraditional techniques such as boneless and double outlining, allowing the workto convey narrative and emotional depth through both colour and composition.Building onthis traditional foundation, I have developed a unique “disruptiveknife-carving” technique: after completing the initial painting, I use a knifeto intervene directly on the surface, deconstructing and reconfiguring theexisting imagery.
Additional carved textures are layered on top, creating relief, dimensionality, and complex visual depth. This approach preserves the "skeleton” and structure of the underlying painting while introducing new spatial and tactile dimensions. The work is then covered with a transparent glaze and fired at 1350°C, fusing colour, line, and carved textures into a cohesive surface that emphasizes both richness and depth.
Through this process, I examine the relationships between material, technique, and visual expression, exploring the balance between tradition and innovation. Each piece demonstrates a deliberate interaction of colour, line, and structure, resulting in works that are layered, dynamic, and materially expressive. This practice reflects my ongoing inquiry into the possibilities of porcelain as a medium and the experimental potential of integrating traditional and contemporary methods.
