| 1961 | Born in Beijing, China |
| 1984 | Graduated from the Department of Oil Painting, Beijing, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing |
| 1986 | Studied at L’École National Supérieur des Beaux-Arts, Atelier of Technique of Painting, Paris |
| 1988 | Received M.A. from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Department of Studio Art, Pennsylvania |
| 2016 | Lin Yan, Eslite Gallery, Teipei, Taiwan |
| 2012 | Lin Yan: Beyond Xuan, Officina, Brussels Lin Yan: Dispelling the Clouds, Tenri Culture Institute, New York Lin Yan: Paperweight, Fou Gallery, New York |
| 2013 | Lin Yan: Embracing Stillness, Sprint Flatiron Prow Art Space, New York |
| 2012 | Lin Yan: Enshrouded, Cheryl McGinnis Gallery, New York |
| 2009 | Lin Yan: Remaking, China Square, New York, February 5–28, 2009 |
| 2006 | Lin Yan: Echoes in the Moment, China 2000 Fine Art, New York |
| 1996 | Lin Yan: To Beijing, Open House Exhibition, New York |
| 1991 | Lin Yan: The Beginning, Twin Cranes Gallery, Seattle |
| 1988 | Lin Yan: Tai Chi in Painting, Haas Gallery, Bloomsburg University, Pennsylvania |
| 2015 | A Garden Window – Lin Yan & Wei Jia, Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery, Hong Kong, China |
| 2014 | Double Vision: The Culture China Overseas Chinese Women’s Invitational Exhibition, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen China Twelfth National Art Exhibition - Mixed Media Paintings, Hebei Museum, Shijiazhuang Modernity 3.0: Bridging East - West Art, New York University 80 Washington Square East Gallery, New York, NY Tales of Two Cities: New York & Beijing, Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT Transcending Boundaries: Qin Feng, Wei Jia and Lin Yan, Amy Simon Fine Art, Westport Start from Tradition: Lin Yan & Wei Jia, Cheryl McGinnis Gallery, New York, NY |
| 2013 | New York Beijing, Here There, Yuan Art Museum, Beijing, China Memorial Hall, Taipei |
| 2012 | 4th Taipei Contemporary Ink Painting Biennial, National Democracy Memorial Hall, Taipei Art on Paper 2012 Biennial, Weatherspoon Art Museum, NC Phoenix Singing –Traveling Exhibition of Contemporary Female Art, Tree Museum, Beijing Vaulting Limits, Tenri Cultural Institute of New York, New York |
| 2011 | Art on Paper, Gallery North, Long Island, New York, NY Asian Variegations, Chelsea Art Museum, New York, NY 2011 Paper Art Biennial, National Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria Giving and Receiving: A Collaborative Exhibition of Contemporary Artists from China and the USA, CU Art Museum, University of Colorado, Denver |
| 2010 | Echoes from the Past, Amy Simon Fine Art, Westport, CT 3rd Contemporary Ink Painting Biennial, Taipei National Museum of History, Taiwan Spring Equinox, Yuan Art Museum, Beijing, China Intertwining Layers, Cheryl McGinnis Gallery, New York, NY |
| 2009 | Living Ink, Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Center, New York NY Here & Now: Chinese Artists in New York Chapter 1, Museum of Chinese in America, New York, NY Making It, Deutsche Bank 60 Wall St. Gallery, New York, NY |
| 2008 | From Realism to Abstract : The 2nd exhibition of Chinese Abstraction, One Moon Contemporary, Beijing, China Art Graduate Reunion Exhibition, Class of 1980, Studio III, Department of Oil Painting: Celebrating 90th anniversary of Central Academy of Fine Arts, Loft 3 Gallery, 798 district, Beijing, China Shanghai MoCA Envisage II: Butterfly Dream, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China Cross Reference: 11 Artists from NY, Shuimu Art Space, Beijing, China Then and Now: Chinese Art from 1710 to 2007, Lamont Gallery, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH Chinese Gardens for Living: Illusion into Reality, The Dresden State Art Collections, Germany The Transforming Marks of Ink, The Dresden State Art Collections, Germany Chinese Traditions Reconfigured, Amy Simon Fine Art, Westport, CT Touched by Women’s Hands, Cheryl McGinnis Gallery, New York |
| 2007 | Art Beijing, Presented by One Moon Contemporary, National Agricultural Exhibition Center, Beijing 3rd Chengdu Biennial, Chengdu Contemporary Art Museum, China Responding & Corresponding, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China In and Out, 2×13 Gallery, New York, NY Language / Environment, Contemporary Museum of Art of Beijing, China Qi Yun: International traveling exhibition of Chinese Abstract Art, Contemporary Art Terminal of He Xiangning Art Museum, Shen Zhen. Traveled to: Beijing Now Gallery, Beijing; Hanart TZ Gallery, Artist Commune, Hong Kong; China Square, New York, NY Translucent, Transparent, Transported, Cheryl McGinnis Gallery, New York, NY |
| 2006 | Visible / Invisible, One Moon Contemporary, Beijing Contemporary Chinese Visions, Amy Simon Gallery, Westport, CT Curators’ Choice: China, Art, Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA Transplant–Transculture, Wave Hill, Bronx, NY Travelers Between Cultures–Xu Bing, Gu Wenda, Lin Yilin, Lin Yan and Zhang Hongtu, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, NJ Trans-Boundary Experiences, Spool MFG, Binghamton, NY Brooklyn, Westport Arts Center, CT New Chinese Occidentalism–Chinese Contemporary Art in NY, Ethan Cohen Fine Arts, New York, NY |
| 2005 | Simplicity in Life, Crystal Foundation Gallery, New York, NY Simplicity in Life 2, William Fellows Architects, New York, NY |
| 2003 | Between the Lines, China 2000 Fine Art, New York, NY The Paper Chase: Creations in Paper, China 2000 Fine Art, New York, NY |
| 2002 | Yesterday and Other Stories, Plum Blossoms, New York, NY Visual Dialogue, China 2000 Fine Art, New York NY |
| 2000 | Art Span: Three Generations, Nine Artists in One Family, satellite show of Shanghai Biennial, Shanghai, 2002 |
| 1999 | Art China, Limn Gallery, San Francisco Global Roots: Artists from China Working in New York, Purdue University, IN Open Salvo, White Box Gallery, New York |
| 1998 | Three Generations of Chinese Modernism – Qiu Ti, Pang Tao, Lin Yan, Soho 20 Gallery, New York. Traveled to: National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Art Beatus Gallery, Vancouver, CAN |
| 1995 | Recent Paintings by Chinese-American Artists, The Cork Gallery, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NY NY SoHo Biennial ’95, 450 Broadway, New York, NY Man Woman Child/ Husband Wife Son, Gallery Contempo-Jubilee Arts Center, New York, NY |
| 1994 | Qi, Gallery of Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing |
| 1991 | Second Spring: Contemporary Chinese Painting & Sculpture, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA; San Diego State University, San Diego, CA |
| 1990 | Pang Family Painting Exhibition, Lung Men Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan Arts and Music, Tokyo |
| 1987 | From Central Academy of Fine Arts, Museum of Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, Tokyo |
| 1985 | National Youth Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing |
| 1984 | Beijing City Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing |
| 1979 | 1st Annual Exhibition of China Oil Painting, Association Zhongshan Park, Beijing |
| Chengdu Contemporary Art Museum, Chengdu, China |
| Deutsche Bank Art Corporate Citizenship – Art, New York |
| Museum of Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing |
| Long Museum, Shanghai |
| National Art Museum of China, Beijing |
| Pang Xunqin Museu, Changshu, China |