Mei Ruowen, born in 1995 in Haikou, is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Institute of Art and Design in Basel, Switzerland. Mei’s work focuses on the narrative structure of love stories and how the heteronormative patriarchal “MeMe” concealed within romantic relationships influences real gender power dynamics. Themes such as the shaping of the subconscious mind by fairy tales, female internecine warfare, the fragmentation of identity in modern life, and the transformation of Western fairy tales into three-handed tales when translated from Japan to China, all play a significant role. Mei appropriated the style of “shōjo manga” ”(少女漫画) and traditional prince and princess fairy tales as her materials, aiming to create tension between narrative and reality. Mei intends to evoke a sense of the uncanny in her imagery and to challenge traditional boundaries between private and public spheres as well as entrenched habits.
Mei’s solo exhibitions include: “The Cave of Silken Web”, Synnika Space, Frankfurt, 2022. Group exhibitions include: “Salon”, Live Performance Group Exhibition, Basel, 2023; “Animals Tear Down Their Enclosures,” Start Gallery, Guizhou, 2023; “Seeing is inviting: the art and life of MULAN and her friends”, FEI Art Museum, Guangzhou, 2022; “Somatic Attunement “, Studio Gallery, Shanghai, 2021; The 4th Xinfeng Village Biennale, Academy of Fine Arts, Jingzhou, 2019. Mei was nominated for Huayu Youth Award in 2022.