Wang Mengsha
Introduction
Born in 1982 Wuxi, Wang Mengsha grew up in an artistic family. In 2006 she graduated from the Xi’an Academy of Fine Art, having studied animation. Since then she has completed advanced studies at Griffith University, in Queensland Australia, and the University of Southampton, in the United Kingdom. After returning to China, she became a full time artist. She currently lives and works in Beijing and Wuxi.
In her unique ‘Xieyi’ style of paintings, Wang adopts a sense of humor to innovatively combine aspects of traditional paintings of court maidens and beauties with landscape paintings. Akin to the eminent artist Walasse Ting, with whom she shares a hometown, Wang is associated with bright colours and calligraphic strokes. However, as a female artist she applies a feminine perspective to examine the past and look at the future in ways that redefine contemporary ink art in history and modern culture.
Wang has been honoured with many awards, including in 2009 when the Beijing magazine Chinese Painting selected her as one of "China’s Young Artists Most Deserving of Immediate Media Attention". In 2011 Bazaar Art magazine selected her artwork as one of "The 100 Most Favourite Artworks of the Year". In 2013 the Beijing magazine National Arts awarded her the "Golden Star Prize". In 2023, the images of Wang’s colourful works were seen travelling from Sheung Wan to North Point on Hong Kong’s iconic tram to promote Ink Asia, a fair dedicated to promoting ink art. She was awarded the "Academic and Artistic Achievement Award: 7th Art Market Value Ranking" by Beijing Business Today and Beijing Association of Auctioneers in 2024 January in Beijing.
Alisan Fine Arts had a solo exhibition for her in 2016 and the group shows Beyond the Jade Terrace (2014), HOPE charity exhibition (2018) and diffferent art fairs including Art Basel Hong Kong, Art 021 in Shanghai, Taipei Dangdai, Asia Now in Paris and ART SG. Two catalogues have been published for the artist.
Her work has been recently acquired by a trustee of "The Women's Art Collection, a collection of modern and contemporary art by women artists, to be placed on loan at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, UK. She has exhibited at the University of Edinburgh Library, UK; Galerie 99, Germany; China Cultural Centre, Tokyo, Japan; International Art Centre, Jeju, South Korea; Today Art Museum, Beijing; Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai; College of Fine Art Nanjing Art Institute, Nanjing, China.
BIOGRAPHY
1982 Born in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, grew up in an artistic family
2006 Graduated from Design Department, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’an, China, studied animation
Advanced studies at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia and the University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
2020 Proya cosmetics produced an umbrella printed with Wang Mengsha's painting
Yit online shop produced a round fan embroidered with Wang Mengsha's iconic butterfly and scholar rock
2022 Speaker, Online Talk Series "What Should I Draw?", China
Collaborated with trending indigenous Chinese brand “Guan Xia '' to develop a unique packaging for new fragrance "Suzhou Sweet”
Participated "Bad Book Market'' in Guangzhou
Collaborated product titled “Bobocat x Wang Mengsha” with the online art trading platform “Rodeo Art” in mainland
Interviewed by CGTN TV programme "The Vibe", Beijing, China
2023 Workshop: Multiverse of Montage, Research Centre For Business and Arts, Peking University, Beijing, China
Present Lives and works in Beijing and Wuxi, China
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023-2024
2022
- Multiverse of Montage, To Summer Leisure Courtyard, Shanghai, China
- Flower Terrace, Tsutaya Books, Shanghai, China
2018
- Neo-Orientation: Wang Mengsha Solo Exhibition, Space Station, Beijing, China
- Suspension: Wang Mengsha Solo Exhibition, Triumph Gallery, Beijing, China
2014
- Early Summer, Aura Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
- Mind upon Paper, Mycenae Gallery, Moganshan Art Zone, Shanghai, China
- Dreaming Butterfly, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China
- New Ink Painting by Wang Mengsha, Galerie 99, Aschaffenburg, Germany
- Fleeting Years, EPSON Gallery, Shanghai, Beijing, China
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
- A Horse, Bounds, Across The Sky, A Dragon, Rare, In Human's Eyes: Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Eurus Art Space, Qingdao, China
2023
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Art021, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China
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Beyond Tradition: The Metamorphosis of Chinese Art, Alisan Fine Arts, Cromwell Place, London, UK
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Ink Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
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Inaugural Art SG, Alisan Fine Arts, Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore
2022
2021
2020
- Art 021 Platform, online viewing room, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai, China
- Autumn Group Exhibition, Banzhetang Art Space, Nanjing, China
- The Revival of Tradition: Another Approach to Contemporary Chinese Art, Song Art Museum, Beijing, China
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Goose Flying: Contemporary Women Artists, Proya Qingteng Art Centre, Hangzhou, China
2019
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Until the Moss Grows: Women Artists in Ink Painting, Hive Centre for Contemporary Art, Shenzhen, China
- 1st Taipei Dangdai, Alisan Fine Arts, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei, Taiwan
2018
- HOPE A charity exhibition celebrating the works of outstanding contemporary Chinese women artists, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
- Incarnation, W Ming Art, New York, USA
- Melting Point: International Exhibition Ding You to Wu Xu, L+Space, Shanghai, China
- Invitational Exhibition of Famous Artists in Ink Paintings, Qing Bige, Beijing, China
- Annual Review of China Contemporary Ink Painting, Ucity Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China
- Reproduce Soliloquize: Female Artist Invitation Exhibition, Qingdao, China
- Regne Animal, Gallery 1618, Paris, France
- The Power of Attention: Ink Painting Works of Young Artists,Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
- Artificial Fairyland: Chinese and South Korean Young Art Exhibition, Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China
- Post-tradition and Its Origins, UCCA Store, Beijing, China
- Art Space vs Open Borders, Germany & China: International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Art Museum of Nanjing University of Art, Nanjing, China
- Beyond the Jade Terrace, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
- The Power of Concern, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
- She: The Era, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China
- New Formation of Academy, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
- New Ink New Youth, New Ink Image Gallery, Beijing, China
- Dream to be Disappeared: Invitational Exhibition of New Ink Paintings by Young Artists, Shinkong Place, Beijing, China
- What We Think Can Be Told to the Others: Ink Painting Exhibition, Beyond Art Space, Beijing, China
- Mind upon Paper: Painting & Calligraphy by Shi Xu, Fan Yang, Wang Mengsha, Zhongshan Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
- Theory by Zhuangzi: Nomination Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Young Artists, China National Convention Centre, Beijing, China
- Chinese Opera Characters Painting Exhibition, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
- Vision China: Edinburgh Chinese Ink Painting Exhibition, University of Edinburgh Library, Edinburgh, UK
- Crisscrossed Ink Painting: Shanghai New Ink Art Exhibition 2012, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
- 1st Station of Vision China, Asia Travelling Exhibition: Chinese New Ink Paintings, Tokyo Chinese Cultural Centre, Tokyo, Japan
- New Formation of Academy: New Works by Contemporary Chinese Famous Painters, Keyuan Museum, Dongguan, China
- Jeju International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Jeju International Art Centre, Jeju, South Korea
- New Formation of Academy, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
- Meticulous Painting Exhibition by Chinese Young Artists, Bank of China Art Space, Beijing, China
- Brush and Ink, Noble Mind: Nomination Exhibition of Chinese Painters of the New Generation, Shanxi Art Museum, Xi’an, China
- Exhibition of Laureates of International Chinese Young Artists, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China
- Group Exhibition of China’s 10 Young Artists Most Deserving of Immediate Media Attention, Chinese Painting Magazine Art Space, Beijing, China
SELECTED AWARDS
2009 Selected as one of China’s 10 Young Artists Most Deserving of Immediate Media Attention, Chinese Painting Magazine, Beijing, China
Awarded The Most Outstanding Young Artists in China
Selected to participate in the International Young Artists Festival, China
2011 Selected as one of The 100 Most Favourite Artworks of the Year, Bazaar Art, China
2013 Golden Star Prize, National Arts Magazine, Beijing, China
2018 Nominated China Young Artist Award, Beijing, China
2021 Top 10 Artistic Value Award, Beijing, China
2024 Academic and Artistic Achievement Award, 7th Art Market Value Ranking, Beijing Business Today and Beijing Association of Auctioneers, Beijing, China
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Trustee of "The Women's Art Collection", Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, UK
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2011 Illusion: Wang Mengsha, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2014 Beyond the Jade Terrace, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
2016 Wang Mengsha: Gardens, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
2022 Events in My Universe, Send Points Publishing, Guangzhou, China
