Born in Beijing, and graduated from Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts in 1996, and from the Central Institute of Fine Arts in Beijing, Department of Materials in the Oil Painting.
He has participated for over 30 national and international exhibitions since 1990. Yan Bo's paintings exude a sense of warmth and happiness - an apparent influence by French artist Henri Matisse - not in terms of form, but in terms of spirit, optimistic attitude, as well as enthusiasm for the positive aspect of life. In Yan Bo's paintings there is a strong sense of plain decoration. It is a means to stress the rhythm of colors. He always resists mannerism by rich colors and strong strokes in order to express reality and feeling...