For over a decade, Yan has taken an impassioned and active role in the arts community through her philanthropic initiatives and by continually developing her private collection. The impetus for Asymmetry Art Foundation was borne out of this cultural engagement, as well as her own experience studying art; she recognised a deep need for the advancement of curatorial practices, which to date were under-supported yet essential to the arts ecosystem. Yan envisioned Asymmetry as a hub for curatorial practices in and about Asia, provoking cultural dialogue, facilitating radical intellectual ideas, and supporting the professional development of Chinese and Sinophone curatorial practitioners, scholars, and thinkers at different stages of their careers.

Yan is particularly committed to widening the understanding and perspectives about contemporary Asian art through her professional work with Asymmetry and privately through her art collection, the activities of which are wholly separate from the foundation. Yan’s collection focuses on works that spark transnational conversations and embed cultural production within a global context, as well as engaging with broader topics of globalisation, gender, as well as post-feminist and post-internet generations.

In addition to the partnerships Asymmetry holds, Yan herself is an avid yet discreet supporter of numerous institutions internationally and holds positions on the boards/councils of the New Museum (NY), Swiss Institute (NY), M+ (HK), and Tate Gallery (UK).

Across all her endeavours, Yan aspires to create more visibility, shift perspectives, and broaden the historical and contemporary constructs through which art from and about Asia is appreciated.

Dedicated to creating cutting-edge opportunities through cultural production and community-building, Michèle oversees and develops strategy, programming and partnerships at Asymmetry.

Michèle’s multicultural background (of Chinese/Swiss heritage) has helped fuel her passion for Asymmetry’s mission to work across cultures and join academic and artistic resources and practices in innovative ways.

Michèle leads Asymmetry’s public-facing programme at Asymmetry HQ in East London, and is the co-organiser of Asymmetry’s annual public lecture series in partnership with the Courtauld Institute of Art. Further, Michèle also regularly speaks on panels and delivers lectures, most recently at the WAF Conference in Milan, Mishcon de Reya and Sotheby’s Institue of Art in London.

Before joining Asymmetry, Michèle was Exhibition Director at Gallery Weekend Beijing where she devised and led the artistic and cultural programme, and prior to that worked at Mai 36 Galerie in Zurich with a focus on exhibition projects across Europe and China. Michèle graduated from the University of Zurich in History of Art and English Studies and earned a postgraduate degree in History of Art with a focus on Contemporary Chinese Art and Geopolitics from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London.

Aaron Cezar is the founding Director of Delfina Foundation, where he curates and develops its interrelated programme of residencies, exhibitions and public platforms.

Cezar has curated external exhibitions and performances at Hayward Gallery Project Space, SongEun Artspace, and as part of the official public programme of the 58th Venice Art Biennale. He has written for The Art Newspaper, Harper’s Bazaar, and ArtAsiaPacific, among others.

Cezar is a strategic advisor to Asymmetry, SAHA, and Hampi Art Labs, among others. He has also been appointed to numerous boards, committees, and juries including the Korean Art Prize 2023, Turner Prize 2021, Samdani Artist Award, and the Jarman Award.

Cezar graduated from Princeton University with a first degree in Economics and a certificate in Dance and Theatre. His postgraduate degree is from King’s College London in the Creative & Cultural Industries. In June 2017, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Arts, London.

Kwanyi Pan is a Beijing-based art consultant who has extensively worked across the institutional, academic and commercial art sectors. Besides working closely with established Asian art collections, Kwanyi has also co-developed contemporary art collections and private art foundations, including Pond Society and Asymmetry Art Foundation, and coordinates major institutional exhibitions across Asia.

Previously, she has worked as deputy editor-in-chief of Leap art magazine, operations director at Long March Space in Beijing and Northeast Asian art specialist for Artco Monthly magazine. Further, she has assisted during various exhibition developments at MoMA PS1 in NYC and worked at Nanjo and Associates in Tokyo.

Kwanyi received her undergraduate degree in Aesthetics and Art History from Keio University, Tokyo, and her Master’s degree in Creative Curating from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Hammad Nasar is a curator, writer and strategist based in London. Known for his collaborative, research-driven and exhibition-led approach, Nasar has curated numerous international touring exhibitions, including Beyond the Page: South Asian Miniature Painting and Britain, 1600 to Now (2023–24); Making New Worlds: Li Yuan-chia & Friends (2023–24); British Art Show 9 (2021–22); Turner Prize (2021); the UAE’s national pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale, Rock, Paper, Scissors: Positions in Play (2017); and Lines of Control: Partition as a Productive Space (2005–14).

Nasar is currently a Strategic Advisor to Asymmetry, a board member of Henry Moore Foundation in England, Mophradat in Belgium, and member of the Working Council of the Asia Forum for the Contemporary Art of Global Asias. He has previously been Senior Research Fellow at Yale University’s Paul Mellon Centre (2017–21), and Principal Research Fellow at UAL’s Decolonising Arts Institute (2021). Former roles include Executive Director of the Stuart Hall Foundation, London (2018–19); Head of Research & Programmes at Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong (2012–16); and co-founder of Green Cardamom, London (2004–12). He continues to advise numerous institutions on awards, exhibitions, collections, partnerships and strategy.

Pi Li is the Sigg Senior Curator and Head of Curatorial Affairs, M+, a visual culture museum in Hong Kong, and previously served as the deputy executive director of the art administration department at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA, 2001-2012).

Exhibitions Pi Li curated include Right is Wrong: Four Decades of Chinese Art in M+ Sigg Collection at Whitworth Gallery in Manchester and Bildmuseet in Umea in 2015 and 2014; Under Construction at Tokyo Opera Museum in 2002; Moist: Asia-Pacific Media Art at the Beijing Millennium Monument Art Museum in 2002; Image is Power at He Xiangning Art Museum in Shenzhen in 2002; and Fantasy Zone at Art Museum of DongA Daily in 2001 and Beijing Modern Art Center in 2002. Pi Li was the curator of Media City Seoul in 2006 and has furthermore served as curator for Allôrs la Chine at Centre Georges Pompidou in 2003 and the Shanghai Bienniale in 2002. 

Recent publications include From Action to Concept (2015) and Farewell to Moralism (2018). Pi Li earned his PhD degree in history of art from the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Lu Jie is the initiator and chief curator of Long March Project, and founder of Long March Space. Lu Jie holds a BFA from the China Academy of Arts in Hangzhou and an MA from the Creative Curating Program at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Since the late 1980s, Lu Jie has been carrying out his practice on art criticism, editing and curating. He has written and edited various art catalogues and art historical publications and curated a variety of Chinese contemporary art exhibitions throughout his career that spans three decades. From 2002 onwards, Lu Jie has been concentrating his efforts on cultivating the ongoing Long March Project that follows the route of the historic Long March (1934-1935) across China. Later, he founded Long March Space in 798 Art District in Beijing, one of China’s leading art galleries for exhibitions, publications, research and educational programs, playing a vital role in pursuing new avenues of production, discourse and promotion of contemporary art in China.