Born in Shanghai, Ding Yi emerged as a significant voice in the Chinese avant-garde during the late 1980s. He studied at the Shanghai University of Fine Arts and later at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, where he currently serves as a professor. His work is recognized for its systematic approach to painting, which emerged as a reaction against the expressive, figurative styles prevalent in the Chinese art scene at the time.

His practice is defined by the repetitive application of crosses and plus signs, a motif he has explored since the late 1980s to create complex, grid-based compositions. Working primarily in painting, he utilizes these marks to investigate the relationship between industrial urban landscapes and abstract visual language. His process often involves meticulous layering, resulting in works that balance mathematical precision with subtle, rhythmic variations.

Ding Yi continues to receive international recognition, with major institutional exhibitions highlighting his evolution. In 2026, he is set to present a solo exhibition titled Cosmotechnics: Ding Yi as a Planetary Code at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia during the 61st Venice Biennale, featuring a series of black-and-white paintings and stone steles.