Tim Yip Biography:
As a world-renowned visual artist, art director for stage and film and fashion designer, Tim Yip continues to explore and communicate his aesthetic concept "New Orientalism", which is his interpretation of ancient culture as a means to inspire the future. He works widely in contemporary art, clothing, theatre, film, literature and other creative fields. For “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, Yip won the Oscar for "Best Art Direction", becoming the first Chinese to be awarded by the Academy, and the British Film and Television Academy award for "Best Costume Design", in 2001.
Since joining his first movie "A Better Tomorrow" in 1986, Tim Yip has created sets and costumes for many films, cooperating with world famous directors such as John Woo, Ang Lee, Feng Xiaogang, Cai Mingliang, Chen Guofu, Guan Jinpeng, Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Li Shaohong and more. His films include "Red Cliff", "The Banquet", "Back to 1942", "The Message", "The Promise", "Springtime in Small Town", "Ming Ghost", "Rouge", "Temptation of a Monk", "Ripening Orange", "Dream of Red Mansions”, the NETFLIX television series "Marco Polo" and many other works, which embody a spirit of creativity and an atmosphere of the culture from which they have sprung, garnering much international attention and acclaim. He is currently focusing on the film series Fengshen Trilogy, the first film of which is expected to be released in 2020.
In the field of theatre, Tim Yip has collaborated with many world-renowned practitioners and groups, including Robert Wilson, Franco Dragone, Zhang Yimou, Stan Lai, Yang Liping, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Contemporary Legend Theater , Han Tang Yue Fu, Swarovski Troupe, U Theatre and more. His theatre productions include "Medea", "The Feast of Han Xizai", "The Palace of Eternal Youth", "A Dream of a Dream", "The Peacock", and "Under Siege", working with San Fransisco Opera House, Sadler's Wells Theater London, the Joyce Theater, Palais de Chaillot, Opera-Comique Paris, Graz Opera House Austria, Beijing National Center of Performing Arts, and Taipei National Palace Museum among many others, and participating in the Edinburgh Festival, Avignon Festival, Lyon Dance Biennale and a number of other international arts festivals. In 2004, Tim Yip was the visual designer for the Athens Olympic Games handover ceremony to China. In 2010, he collaborated with world renowned choreographer and dancer Akram Khan as visual artist (set and costume design) for “Desh”, which won the American Bessie Award and the British Olivier Award. Yip and Khan have since collaborated on “Until the Lions”, and in 2016 with the English National Ballet on its new production of "Giselle". In September 2016, Yip designed costumes and sets for San Fransisco Opera’s world premier of Bright Sheng’s new opera “Dream of the Red Chamber”, directed by Stan Lai, which had its Asia premier at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in March 2017 and toured in mainland China in September 2017. In 2018, Tim was visual artist (sets and costumes) for “Rite of Spring” choreographed by Yang LiPing, which will tour in the UK in 2019. All of Yip is currently working as production & costume designer on Hong Kong Ballet’s new production “The Great Gatsby”, the opera “Beauty and Sadness” directed by Carolyn Choa & “Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise” at The Shed in New York, directed by Chen Shi-Zhen, which will premier in 2019.
Since 2002, Tim Yip has held special exhibitions at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, Maison de la Culture de Bourges in France, the Royal Dutch Theater in Amsterdam, the Madrid Cultural Center in Spain, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the United States. His artistic works have also participated in the New York International Asian Art Fair and other major art events worldwide. Yip has held solo exhibitions at Beijing Today Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Beijing Three Shadows Arts Center, and Singapore Esplanade. In 2015, Yip’s short film “Kitchen” won "Best Art Direction" at the 8th ASVOFF Festival at the Pompidou Center in Paris, France. In 2016, Yip had the solo exhibitions “In Parallel” at the Maison de la Culture D’Amiens in France, “Tim Yip: Reformation” at the Shanghai Power Station of Art in China, & ”Tim Yip: Migong” Yuan Museum in Chongqing, China. In 2018 Yip created the ‘Cloud’ project which explores themes of youth, identity and environment through costume and art installation, in partnership with Southbank Centre London. His solo exhibition ‘Tim Yip: Blue’ at the Hong Kong Design Institute Gallery opened in November 2018.
Tim Yip has worked with M.A.C, Chow Tai Fook and other well-known commercial brands in cross-border artistic collaborations. In 2010, Yip participated in Dior’s 60th Anniversary Exhibi-
