XU Yong was born in Shanghai 1954 and currently lives in Beijing. He graduated in 1978 from Luoyang Industry Institute, worked at the Producing Department of Beijing Advertisement Company and in 1986 had his first solo photography exhibition and in 1993, he founded the Hutong cultural tour in Beijing.
In 2003, he was engaged in the reconstruction of 798’ art district and was the main founder of 798 Art Zone in Beijing. Among his selected photographic works are 101 Hutong Portrait (1989), Xiaofangjia Hutong (2002), Backdrop and Backdrop (2005), Solution Scheme (2006), 18% Gray (2010), This Face (2011), Negatives (2015)