Anesidora

In ancient Greek mythology, “Anesidora” means “she who brings gifts,” capable of opening new possibilities or triggering unforeseen disruptions. From Meng’s perspective, it conveys a sense of “falling,” as he remarks, “I made a deal with the ‘devil’ (myself).” In his work, this gift is not a sealed offering but an unfolding process— encompassing attraction, resistance, generation, and transformation. Anesidora, Meng’s third gallery solo exhibition, gathers his recent works from the past two years, marking a new phase in his practice. He invites viewers into his production site: materials are repeatedly applied, scraped, and layered, with surfaces bearing traces of ongoing revision.

Earlier works often relied on narrative and symbolic structures, with figures and settings providing clear visual cues. In this exhibition, narrative recedes, replaced by the performativity of traces and material immediacy. Works are conceived not as complete stories but as generative, interrupted sites. I Think, You Will Experience it exemplifies this focus: a deep black wall hosts nine small-scale works, each bearing marks from different stages; a symbol-like element hangs below, extending the fragments. The black background accentuates material detail and lends weight to the spaces between, where temporal jumps and material transformations resonate. Painting, layering, and scraping form a cycle of disappearance and transformation.

Meng describes his process as “opening that magic box over and over again,” seeking intensity—emotional and visual. In Mr. Chessboard, a shallow chessboard pattern is distorted by pulled knots and disrupted edges, deforming the flat surface under tension. In The Solution, the work freezes a moment of mutual silence, where parties subtly contend, attempting to engulf each other’s balance. Hands at the corners hold tense force, both in motion and stasis. These traces are not natural wear but direct projections of action and psychological response—a calm before the eruption of violence. Years of exhibition and practice have enabled Meng to control these tensions with precision, balancing materiality and conceptual rigor.

The eponymous installation Anesidora (She Who Brings Gifts)integrates painting and space: works are no longer isolated but part of the environment, inviting viewers to navigate, approach, and reposition themselves. This approach bridges private creative logic with public spatial experience, transforming internal gestures into shared encounters.

Anesidora presents a painting practice where traces function as a method. Marks and materials reflect the interplay of time, action, and psychological state. In an era dominated by virtual images and contactless interaction, these works exist directly and tangibly—unconcealed, unembellished, resisting filtration. Viewers engage not only with images but with a materially preserved process, a generation still unfolding. Compared with his earlier narrative- and symbol-driven works, Meng increasingly treats traces and materials as a method, positioning painting as a systematic inquiry into time, action, and spatial relations.