孟东来
Donglai Meng

B.1994, Dalian, China
Painter, Multimedia artist
Currently living and working in the Netherlands




STATEMENT(CURRENT)

I am interested in the study of psychoanalysis, and the relationship between real experiences and the subconscious, especially the 'immersive daydreaming' phenomena.

My inspiration comes from different states of the human psyche, literature, drama, fairy tales, social issues, and subcultures. My works are mainly paintings, fiction novels, and installations. The narrative is essential in my works. I am obsessed with putting my creations in a fictional background, just like building a dream in the real world, making it a hint and reflection of fundamental problems and attempting to arouse the audience's attention to their inner experiences. And the presentation always appears in the series way. Through exploring, I hope to understand further the various psychological states of human beings and their significance and function for ourselves and society.

In my works, the bridge that connects different levels of impressions is "hairy legs": this bizarre yet familiar symbol can exist solely as a funny and exciting symbol, or it can start from the social perspective that women need to shave their leg hair, and the implied wildness and freedom of body hair, and be given multiple meanings in different contexts.



EDUCATION
2017-2019    MA  Fine Art, Master Institute of Visual Cultures AKV St.Joost, Den Bosch, the Netherlands
2013-2017    BA   Oil Painting, Academy of Fine Arts of Rome, Rome, Italy


SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Solo
2024   What A Windy Day!, KennaXu Gallery, Shenzhen, China
2024   The Moon Slides Over the Sea,  Willem Twee Kunstruimte, Den Bosch,  the Netherlands 

2022   Oh! My Dog!, Cha x Art, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2022   The Baron In The Trees, Foundation B.A.D, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2021    A Porn Writer, OAZO AIR, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2021    Make Lemonade, AAIE Center, Rome, Italy
2021    A Murder Case, Nieuw en Meer, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2020   Four States, Funspace Gallery OnlineRoom, Rome, Italy (Online)
2020   Midday Dreaming, WitteRook, Breda, the Netherlands
2019    Hairy Legs Shrine, Studio Kura, Fukuoka, Japan
2017    Poetic Game, Palazzo Velli Expo, Rome, Italy 

Group
2024   Zomer salon, Westerkadekunst, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2024  Just tell me a story, Migrant bird space, Berlin, Germany
2024  Magnifica, AAIE Center, Rome, Italy
2024  A Touch, A Glance, Hexagon Gallery, K11 MUSEA, HongKong, China
2024   Abstracte Narratieve Vormen, Galerie Ecker, Breda, the Netherlands
2024   FLYFLYFLY, KennaXu Gallery, Shenzhen, China
2024   ‘2024’, Moosey Gallery, London, the UK
2023   Koortsdroom (Fever Dream), FRANS HALS Museum, Haarlem, the Netherlands
2023   A piece of angel cake, What Art Can Do project space, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2023   DIONYSUS, DAKE Art Museum, Chengdu, China
2023   One day I’ll fly away, Galerie SANAA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
2023   Atari, No Man’s Art Gallery, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2023   Venti Sussurranti,  AAIE Center, Rome, Italy
2023   Spring Musings & Muddy Feet, Galerie SANAA, Utrecht, the Netherlands 
2023   Launch show of Curated By, Huis Vasari, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2022   Draw the Line Ⅱ- The Female Gaze, Wobby.club, Kunstpodium T, Tilburg, the Netherlands
2022   Pets and Animals, Kollection Kitsch, WORM, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2022   Abitudine Artistica Ideologia Eccellente, AAIE Center, Rome, Italy
2022   In a pig’s whisper, De Vishal, Haarlem, the Netherlands
2022   The Shadow Of The Void, AAIE Center, Rome, Italy 
2022   Crisis Kunst, Niffo Galerie, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2022   Prospects 10th, by Mondriaan Fonds, Art Rotterdam,  Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2022   We are all guests#8, Foundation B.A.D, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2022   Biennale di Todi, Tower Gallery by AAIE Center , Todi, Italy
2021   Needles in the hay, The curators room, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2021   With permission from the officer, PuntWG, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2021   #artistsupportpledge, De Balie, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2019    Graduation Exhibition - POSTCOMPOST, Master Institute of Visual Cultures AKV St.Joost, Den Bosch, the Netherlands
2019   Dream Power, Theater Vascello, Rome, Italy 
2019   Percorso d'Arte a Castiglione III edizione, Palombara Sabina, Italy 
2018   Transition, Eye Research Lab, Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands   
2018   What Do We Dance For? Gallery Nectar, Tbilisi, Georgia 
2017   TRACCE 2017, San Domenico, Italy 


ARTIST RESIDENCY
2022   Foundation B.A.D, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2021    OAZO AIR, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2021    Nieuw en Meer AIR, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2020   WitteRook, Breda, the Netherlands
2019    Studio Kura, Fukuoka, Japan


AWARDS/GRANTS
2023   Artists Start 2023-24, Mondriaan Fonds
2021    Artist Project grants, Mondriaan Fonds
2020   Stipendium Emerging Artists 2020-21, Mondriaan Fonds


ART FAIR/ AUCTION/ EVENT
2024   Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong, China (with AAIE Center)
2023   Big Art, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2023   Springboard Art Fair, Utrecht, the Netherlands
2022   Dead Darlings, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2022   THIS Art Fair, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2021   THIS Art Fair, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2021   CONTEMPORARY VENICE 2020 - ITSLIQUID International Art Fair, Venice, Italy


ARTIST TALK/PRESENTATION
2019    Research Presentation, V2_, Lab for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, Netherlands


WORKSHOP
2020   kidz-residency for Breda Cultuurnacht at Witte Rook, Breda
2019    organizer of the workshop “Brown shoes don’t make it” at St.Joost master institute, Den Bosch (with Hossein Daneshpajooh, Monique van de Ven, Simon Oosterhuis)
2018    organizer of the workshop “Incense in the Room” at St.Joost master institute, Den Bosch (with Peng Zhang)