Yan Du was born to a Chinese family near Beijing, China in cca. 1982. She studied painting at Tsinghua University's Academy of Art and Design in Beijing and immigrated to London in the early 2000s to pursue an MBA at Queen Mary University. By the early 2010s, she established herself as a collector and patron with a focus on contemporary Chinese art.
Collector, patron and philanthropist Yan Du was born to a traditional Chinese family near Beijing, China in 1982. She studied painting at Tsinghua University's Academy of Art and Design in Beijing. Later, she immigrated to London in the early 2000s to earn an MBA from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Though art was always in her life, her London move marked her serious engagement in the contemporary art sector. She soon established herself as a collector and art aficionado, uniquely combining conventional art collection with creating platforms for more scholarly endeavours.
By 2010, Du began amassing a varied collection of contemporary art, particularly favouring Chinese and female artists. Her collection echoes global themes and reflects societal shifts such as globalisation, identity, and the post-feminist era. Moreover, her collection and broader sponsorship in the art world promote cross-border dialogues between Asian and Western worlds, mirroring the present-day moment shaped by societal trends such as globalisation, individuality, gender roles, and the impact of both post-feminist and post-digital age art. After her daughters were born, Du’s focus on female artists intensified. Important female artists such as Diane Arbus, Leonora Carrington, Sophie Calle, Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, Yu Hong, Yayoi Kusama, Lee Krasner, Sarah Lucas, Joan Mitchell, Zanele Muholi, Georgia O’Keeffe, Elizabeth Peyton, and Cindy Sherman, among others, form part of her collection. She also owns works by contemporary artists, Thomas Demand, Pierre Huyghe, Luc Tyymans, and Danh Vo. Du remains steadfast in her goal to enhance her collection further. Among her recent additions are pieces by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, displayed at the 2019 Venice Biennale, and creations by Claude Cahun, Shuang Li, Ana Mendieta, Marianna Simnett, Sydney Shen, and Timur Si-Qin. Furthermore, Du’s support also extends to Pan Daijing, a rising Chinese artist preparing to display her creations at Haus der Kunst. Over the course of their longstanding relationship, Du has actively promoted Daijing's professional journey. Du's appreciation also encompasses Chinese artists like Hu Xiaoyuan and Duan Jianyu, with the aim to amplify their prominence in the West. Lotus Laurie Kang's work, which merges Eastern and Western influences, also stands out in Yan's collection. Another interesting item in her collection is a collaborative piece between Song Huai-Kuei and Bulgarian artist Maryn Varbanov. Recently, M+ in Hong Kong mounted an exhibition exploring Song’s legacy as a pioneering Chinese artist with a global outlook: her private life is marked by being the first citizen of the People’s Republic of China granted permission to marry a Westerner.
Du actively backs contemporary Asian art, aiming to promote Asian art beyond China. She quietly supports numerous Asian, international and British entities, such as UCCA, M+, and London's Whitechapel Gallery and Chisenhale Gallery. In 2019, Du initiated the Asymmetry Art Foundation in the UK, a non-profit venture committed to fostering curatorial expertise and amplifying understanding about Chinese and Sinophone contemporary art landscapes. Asymmetry extends holistic support, from placements to research grants and postdoctoral resources, forging bonds with prominent British entities, including the Delfina Foundation, Whitechapel Gallery, Chisenhale Gallery, and Goldsmiths, University of London. Through Asymmetry’s Fellowship, curators collaborate with leading European and UK institutions, honing their expertise and widening their networks. In turn, these institutions benefit from the unique insights of the Fellows, deepening their understanding of modern Greater Chinese and Sinophone arts and traditions. 2022 saw Asymmetry partner with the Courtauld Institute of Art in London to launch a focused research programme on Chinese contemporary art. Also in 2022, Du opened a permanent home for Asymmetry's London HQ, which had been operating in the capital since 2020 without a bricks-and-mortar space. The new East London space, in Albion Drive, E8, includes a library, individual workspaces for curators, and shared dining and reception area that hosts Asymmetry’s events, including symposia, and public programming. Yan Du now divides her time between London and Hong Kong.