10 Questions with Mengyi Wang

Born in Beijing and living in California, Mengyi Wang is an aspiring contemporary artist specializing in acrylic on canvas. She received her BA in Art and Film & Media Studies from the University of California, Irvine, and her dual Master's degrees in Global Communication from the University of Southern California and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her paintings often reflect her dual cultural heritages and personal memories through the journey of narrative storytelling, exploring the fusion of modern impressionism and traditional Chinese art. Her works have been exhibited internationally, including in the US, Canada, and the UK, and she has participated in both offline and online art exhibitions, such as the 2024 International Exhibition of Calligraphy & Painting, Never* Virtual Show from the Holy Art Gallery, and the International Digital Online 3D Exhibition: Inktober from the Artwork Gallery. She has been awarded the Industry Pioneer Award by the National Artists Association (Canada) and continues to deliver her narrative art to global audiences.

mengyigracewang.wixsite.com | @gracewangsart

ARTIST STATEMENT

Mengyi Wang's artworks present a view of narrative storytelling that spans the past, present, and future, to which she has a strong personal connection. Mengyi translates her memories, experiences, and the influences that have inspired her into her acrylic paintings. Often referencing space and landscape, her paintings explore the varying fusion relationships when modern impressionism meets traditional Chinese art.

Living in a cross-cultural environment, fusion has always been part of Mengyi's journey, both personally and professionally, inspiring her to think beyond reflecting only one perspective. Her love for exploring nature is evident in her use of flowers, trees, water, and animals, which are crucial elements in her paintings.

Her current main series builds a connection between her personal memories and objects to present a narrative space. Born in Beijing and residing in California, Mengyi absorbs the tremendousness of the historical capital and the fantasy of Disneyland. This blend of influences inspires her to create a healing process with balanced color palettes featuring various green hues as well as vivid pink and purple shades.

With the intentional use of empty space, she aims to create a dimension beyond the object and the environment in each painting, inviting viewers to use their imagination to walk through her narratives. This symbolic viewership connects her artworks with her audience, encouraging them to immerse themselves, reflect on their own imagination and possibilities, and find personal memories beyond what is shown in the painting.

Sage in Fantasy, Acrylic on Canvas, 16x20 in, 2024 © Mengyi Wang

INTERVIEW

Can you share your journey as an artist? How did your background in Beijing and experiences in California influence your work?

My journey as an artist has been profoundly shaped by my cross-cultural background in Beijing and my experiences in California. Since childhood, I have explored various art mediums, including calligraphy, seal carving, and painting. I vividly recall my mother occasionally taking me to her office, where she would give me a pen and some paper to doodle and sketch while I waited for her to finish work. Since then, painting has always been a platform for self-expression.
Through my education in Art, Film, and Global Communication, I realized that my paintbrush goes beyond merely justexploring my painting objects. It became a lens to reflect my narratives and convey complex stories from my cross-cultural background. As a transnational artist, born in Beijing, studied in London, and currently residing in California, I absorb the historical richness of Beijing and the fantasy of Disneyland. Every aspect of my background helps me process and reflect storytelling in my artworks, which have been internationally exhibited.

Lotuses in Pond, Acrylic on Canvas, 8x20 in, 2024 © Mengyi Wang

Living in a cross-cultural environment seems central to your identity as an artist. How does this influence the themes and narratives you explore?

People may see me as an artist who has lived in various countries, but from my perspective, the cross-cultural environment has shaped me as an artist. I view each canvas as a lens to convey a narrative. From walking around the Palace Museum in Beijing to exploring the British Museum and Tate Modern in London and spending time at LACMA in Los Angeles, I am beyond appreciative to have the chance to explore art across different times and genres. The blend of Eastern and Western cultures provides me with a unique perspective central to my artworks, allowing me to create art that bridges these diverse influences.
This cross-cultural experience is explored in my artwork through the fusion of modern impressionism and traditional Chinese art. This unique combination enables me to explore a wide range of themes such as identity, memory, representation, and the passage of time in a way that feels both personal and universal to each viewer.

Your work blends modern impressionism with traditional Chinese art. What inspired you to explore this fusion, and how do you approach combining these styles?

With my cross-cultural background, fusion has always been a term I hear from my family and friends. It has become part of my lifestyle, and I reflect this through my artworks.
The journey of creating this fusion style started with my exploration of daily life. While living in California, visiting parks and museums in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace and the Forbidden Palace, are core childhood memories that have inspired my painting themes. Exploring landscapes, nature, and animals, especially admiring lotus flowers blooming in the pond, have been in my roots to embrace my hometown as well as to explore California when I first started to live here. When I spotted the beautiful lotuses blooming at the Huntington Library in Los Angeles, I specifically recalled my childhood memories at the Summer Palace, feeling a strong personal connection that has profoundly shaped my journey as an Asian artist living in the U.S. This inspired me to create my painting “Lotus in Memory,” blending different hues of green, reflecting my cross-cultural environment.
In blending modern impressionism with traditional Chinese art, I use modern impressionism as the broader framework to narrow down the composition of lighting and colors for each painting, while employing traditional Chinese art’s brush strokes to capture detailed objects and ethereal landscapes. At the same time, the use of acrylics allows me to capture the vibrant colors and dynamic textures of modern impressionism while maintaining the delicate elements of Chinese art.

Nature plays a significant role in your paintings, with elements like flowers, trees, and water. Why is nature so important to your creative process?

Exploring nature is one of my favorite activities, whether in a familiar place or a new city. From blooming lotuses at the Summer Palace in Beijing to cherry blossoms at Hyde Park in London, and wandering various parks in California, nature is my comfort zone for relaxation, reflection, and re-determination. I believe nature is timeless and universal, offering everyone a personal connection.
Nature plays an important role in my artwork and creative process. It’s beyond the objects of my paintings, embedding a symbolic layer. The narrative storytelling in my paintings captures my nature exploration, reflecting personal memories. However, the natural objects are universal, allowing everyone to connect with their experiences.

Your art often reflects personal memories and storytelling. How do you choose which memories or experiences to translate into your paintings?

I am always on a journey to find art inspirations with emotional resonance and symbolic potential. As an Asian woman artist living in the U.S., I select memories that evoke my strong emotions, whether feelings of joy or wonder, and objects that connect my experiences in Beijing, London, and the U.S.

You’ve described your use of empty space as an invitation for viewers to imagine and reflect. How do you create this sense of openness in your work?

Leaving empty space intentionally is an aesthetic technique and a symbol commonly used by traditional Chinese paintings that delivers imagination as well as profound possibility. Mixing modern impressionism with traditional Chinese art, I tend to use empty space to embrace the landscape and leave space for viewers’ imagination.
Throughout my education in art, film, and global communication, I have always found myself to be a narrative and storytelling person. I see everything in a narrative way and would like to deliver my creative artwork through storytelling. While I create the artworks with my strong emotions built by my personal memories, the empty space symbolizes the connection between my artworks and my audience, inviting them to immerse themselves and find their personal memories beyond what’s shown in the painting.

Lotus in Memory, Acrylic on Canvas, 16x20 in, 2024 © Mengyi Wang

Lotus in Summer, Acrylic on Canvas, 30 x 48 in, 2024 © Mengyi Wang

Your balanced color palettes include green, pink, and purple shades. What emotions or ideas do you hope these colors evoke in your audience?

For each creative process, I carefully choose colors reflecting my emotions at that moment. The use of color schemes is always an important component of my creative process. Inspired by the tremendousness of the historical capital in Beijing, the classic timeless art collections in London, and the fantasy of Disneyland in California, I create a healing process with balanced color palettes featuring various green hues as well as vivid pink and purple shades. These warm tones also aim to offer a healing viewing experience. No matter where the viewers are when they are viewing my pieces, I invite them to walk through a calm and positive journey.

You’ve exhibited your work internationally, both online and offline. How has sharing your art with global audiences shaped your perspective as an artist?

Having my artworks exhibited internationally is an honor as an emerging artist. Reflecting on cross-cultural experiences, I appreciate bringing my representation to a broader audience. It is also beyond meaningful to connect with other artists and audiences sharing similar representations. Especially featuring at the 2024 International Exhibition of Calligraphy & Painting in Canada, being part of this exhibition with many pioneering and established Chinese Artists in North America is groundbreaking. At the same time, as an emerging artist, my international exhibition experiences always remind me to continue my creative journey, sharing my representation and connecting with many more viewers.

Daisy in Memory, Acrylic on Canvas, 16x20 in, 2024 © Mengyi Wang

You aim to create a healing process through your art. How do you hope your paintings resonate with and impact viewers?

As an artist, I aim to create a healing creative process and viewership through my art by evoking calm, nostalgia, and personal reflection. Through the process of viewing my paintings, I hope my paintings can resonate emotionally, offering viewers a space to pause, reflect, and find meaningful connections within the storytelling I present. The viewers can relate to it personally and connect with their memories and feelings.
The natural elements in my paintings, like flowers, trees, water, and animals, are timeless and universal. At the same time, they also serve as symbolic representations of my cultures and experiences that shaped my views. By incorporating these elements, I aim to remind viewers of the beauty found in nature, inspiring a sense of healing and evoking connections to their own personal memories.

Lastly, what new projects or themes are you excited to explore in your future work?

Beyond my current work, I am developing more paintings for my “When Modern Impressionism Meets Traditional Chinese Art” series. Culture and identity are central to my art and daily life. I aim to develop and implement more natural elements and themes within this series further. I aspire to create future artworks blending history, personal experiences and contemporary issues, creating new and layered stories.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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