Lavia (Yanzi) Lin (b.1995) is a Berlin-based abstract artist and live painting performer from Shanghai, China. She began painting at the age of seven—her childhood filled with doodles, fairy tales, and dreamlike imagery. The name “Lavia,” which she gave herself at age three, reflects her independent spirit and means “the way” in Italian, symbolic of her creative path. In 2014, she moved to Berlin to pursue her artistic journey, drawn by the city’s vibrant, international art scene.

Lavia grew up in the family-run live music bar House of Blues & Jazz in Shanghai, where music became a central part of her world. Although she never played an instrument, she developed a deep sensitivity to rhythm, improvisation, and the emotional language of music. This lifelong relationship with sound is at the heart of her art.

She translates music into color, line, and form, creating atmospheric paintings that mirror the emotional and dynamic qualities of sound. Her works have been exhibited in Berlin, Hamburg, London, and Shanghai. In 2023, she was an artist-in-residence at Szent András Kastély in Hungary. Since 2021, she has worked as a freelance artist and arts & culture manager, curating events and facilitating workshops.

Live painting is a key element of her practice. Since her first collaboration in 2017 with the Italian band Satoyama, Lavia has performed live across Europe, from Jazzit Festival in Feltre to concerts in Berlin and Vienna. In 2022, she joined Satoyama’s “Sinking Island” Europe tour, raising awareness of climate change through art and sound. She has since collaborated with musicians in a wide range of genres: from jazz and ambient to classical—bridging cultures and disciplines through spontaneous creation.

Instagram Website