Taiwan's unique historical background has resulted in a highly complex cultural identity. It is a blend of the indigenous Taiwanese culture, Chinese culture from the mainland, and various other cultural influences from Japan, the United States, and Western Europe. Throughout its history, Taiwan has maintained a strong but repressed political consciousness, which is a core aspect of its authenticity.
The strong but repressed political consciousness in Taiwan's historical narrative often hinders the writing of objective history, which is rife with falsehoods, biases, and sarcasm. However, within the absurdity, contradictions, and paradoxes of the grand narrative, all manner of indignation, criticism, and ridicule can ferment into inspiration. History is elevated to a form of artistic material and transformed into MEI’s creative energy.
MEI’s work attempts to combine the relationship between historicism and political meaning. He doesn’t intend to respond to politically correct questions or try to reveal any unresolved issues in art itself. What MEI cares about is how they can find a sufficient channel of expression among history, reality, and the public. MEI’s creative work is a manifestation of his personal complexity. Any experience that can be perceived through his ideas can be considered a style of his personality development. All experiences related to motivation and experience may become artistic associations, and they are deeply meaningful, resulting in endless reproduction.
Award
2023 NATIONAL AWARD FOR ARTS
2003 Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture
Education
1977 Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan
1985 Master of Fine Arts, Pratt Institute, New York, USA
MEI has taught at the National Taiwan University of Arts, Changhua University of Education Department of Fine Arts, and Seton Hall University in New Jersey, USA.
Collections
Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan
Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan
Solo Exhibition
2022 Ching-Kuo Chi-Hai Cultural Park, Taipei, Taiwan
2018 "Taiwan Expression" ASTAR Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 "WANTED DEAN-E MEI: A Retrospective" Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan
2009 "Taiwan Cola" Artland Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2003 "Mei's Interpretation and Play" Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, Taiwan
2001 "Can I Be Arrogant for a Moment?" Eslite Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
1997 MoMA Gallery, Fukuoka, Japan
1996 "Post-Modern Painting" Taichung Art Gallery, Taiwan
1992 First Gallery, New York, USA
1991 West-Eastern University, New Jersey, USA
1991 Mei Hua Art Center, New York, USA
1989 Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan
1985 Pratt Institute Gallery, New York, USA
1980 Lung Men Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
