Chiang Yomei

Chiang Yomei

Yomei Chiang – 蒋 友梅
Yomei Chiang – 蒋 友梅

Born in 1961 to a Chinese-Russian father and Chinese-German mother in Taipei, Taiwan, Yomei studied art and literature at Skidmore College, upstate New York, after a traditional Chinese education in Taiwan. From an early age she studied Chinese landscape painting and calligraphy with masters of both genres. In 1981, after a year of studying in Germany, she moved to the UK and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in the History and Theory of Art and English literature from the University of Kent at Canterbury in 1984. After Kent, Yomei graduated from the Sotheby’s Works of Art Course and went on to study Chinese painting and ceramics at SOAS, University of London.

From 1989, Yomei began practising Fine Art in a concentrated capacity, experimenting prolifically with a wide range of media. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree from Winchester School of Art in 1994. A devoted Buddhist practitioner, she nurtures a strong interest in spiritual and esoteric philosophies, quantum physics and myths and rituals. Along with her great love of music, film and literature, these have become inextricably linked to her creative process.

Chiang Yomei is also a published poet in both English and Chinese. She lives and works in London, and her work can be found in public and private collections in Europe and Asia.

Artist’s Statement

“Art is not a singular activity. The artist only begins the work; it is the viewer who completes it. As each viewer must bring a unique set of values and conditions to the work, we cannot know how a work will be received each time. Life itself is continually in flux. Between dualities there is a profound and luminous space that is free of expectation and longing, free of a linear concept of time. It is in this ‘in-between space’ that we encounter our true faces, where we meet each other on a more fundamental, less contrived level.

My work is concerned with the impermanent nature of relative reality and the infinite possibilities that arise through the process of transformation. All phenomena, including our physical selves, the thoughts we think, the things we see, sense, hear and taste come apart when the conditions that inform their existence disperse. Existence is wholly interdependent and in a continual state of flux. Neither we nor our surroundings have a fixed identity.

As an artist and poet I try to evoke something of this ephemeral and ever-changing nature. This fragility, the elusiveness of identity, of thoughts, memories and emotions moves me deeply and is perhaps the main impetus behind my work. I am interested in alchemy, myths, rituals, esoteric philosophies and the process of disintegration, which I see as a beginning as well as an end. In painting, my working process reflects this in that I build and strip until layers of dialogue emerge between the materials. I respond deeply to the elemental, to a sense of the cyclical and impermanent nature of existence.

The imagery in my poems often echoes through my visual work and vice versa; the two disciplines inform one another and are vital components of my working process. I believe that images are powerful because we are all made of the same elements and as such share a collective memory. When authentic, images awaken dormant longings and return us to a primordial place where we can reconnect with the purest, least constrained part of ourselves.”

Chiang Yo Mei,
Yu Shan Tsao Tang,
London

Exhibitions

  • Taipei Dangdai Art Fair, Taipei, 2023
  • Taipei Dangdai Art Fair, Taipei, 2022
  • “Art Basel Hong Kong”, Hong Kong, Tina Keng Gallery, March 2022
  • “Without Beginning or End” – solo exhibition, Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, 2022
  • “Frieze London 2021”, Tina Keng Gallery, London, 2021
  • “JingArt”, Tina Keng Gallery, Beijing, May 2019
  • “Art Basel Hong Kong”, Hong Kong, Tina Keng Gallery, March 2019
  • “Art021” – Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Tina Keng Gallery, Nov. 2018
  • “Doors of Perception” – solo exhibition, Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, 2018
  • “Jingart” – Tina Keng Gallery, Beijing, 2018
  • “Art021” – Tina Keng Gallery, Shanghai, 2017
  • “Other Realms” – Solo exhibition, Sotheby’s Gallery, Hong Kong, 2016
  • “Plus2” – duo exhibition Chiang Yomei and Tsai Charwei, TKG+, Taipei, 2015
  • “Art021” – Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Tina Keng Gallery, 2015
  • “The Hidden Heart” – solo exhibition, Elena Shchukina Gallery, London, 2015
  • “A Space Elsewhere” – solo exhibition, Tina Keng Gallery Taipei, 2013
  • “Spark” – solo exhibition, Tina Keng Gallery Taipei, 2011
  • “Spark” – solo exhibition, Tina Keng Gallery Beijing, 2011
  • “The Golden party: Transformation and Alchemy”, Gallery 100, Taipei, 2008
  • “On Board the Lotus Express”, solo show – Gallery Maya, London, 2007
  • “Christie’s 20th Century Chinese Art Sale”, Hong Kong, 2002
  • “Olympia Art Fair” – Bernard Chauchet Contemporary Art, London, 2002
  • “Panorama of a New Generation”, Bernard Chauchet Contemporary Art, London, 2001
  • Shin Kong Art Museum, Taipei, 2001
  • Christie’s 20th Century Chinese Art Sale, Taipei, 2001
  • Christie’s Important 20th Century Chinese Art & Impressionist & 20th Century – Western Art Sale, 1999
  • Christie’s Contemporary Chinese Art Sale, 1996
  • Shin Kong Art Museum, Taipei, 1999
  • Shin Kong Art Museum, Taipei, 1996
  • Christie’s Contemporary Chinese Art Sale, Taipei, 1995
  • “Selected Graduates, a Year On”, Stansell Gallery, Taunton, 1995
  • “Selected Graduates, a Year On”, Shin Kong Art Museum, Taipei, 1995
  • “Five Young Contemporary Chinese Artists”, Shun Lee Palace, courtesy of Eastlake Gallery, New York, 1994

Publications

  • “Midnight on Fish Mountain” (午夜在漁山), Book of poems, Ink Publishing – 2023
  • Artist Magazine, feature by Chiang Jia Hui, April 2018
  • Taiwan Tatler, feature by Lulu Tsai, March 2018
  • Poetry featured in Asia Literary Review, Winter Issue, 2016 issues
  • Asia Literary Review Cover, Spring Issue, 2017
  • “Every Now and then a Solitary Bell” (赤裸的心), Book of poems, Ink Publishing – 2015
  • artron.net, 25 October 2016
  • HKCNA.HK, 8 November 2016
  • hk01.com, 30 October 2016
  • Orange News, 8 November 2016
  • Nikkei Asian Review, interview with Ken Moriyasu, 8 December 2016
  • China Daily, interview with Lin Qiu, 8 November 2016
  • Hong Kong Economic Journal, interview with Ella Cheung, 15 November 2016
  • Apple Daily, interview with Tinny Cheng, 6 November 2016
  • Ta Kung Pao, interview 9 November 2016
  • Sing Tao Daily HK, 13 November 2016
  • RTHK Radio 4, live interview with Jonathan Douglas, 11 November 2016
  • RTHK TV interview ‘The Works’, 18 January 2017
  • “Artitude” (藝外雜誌), feature, Sun Hsiao-Dan (孫曉丹）January 2014
  • “Art Investment” (典藏投資), feature, Lin Ya-Weh (林亞偉）January 2014
  • “Chinese Contemporary Art News” (當代藝術新聞雜誌), feature, Nai-Ming Cheng (鄭乃銘）January 2014
  • “Next Magazine” (壹週刋文藝版), feature, Fang Hui-Jeng (房慧貞）9 January 2014
  • BCC, The Irene Chen Sunday Show (中廣流行網，Irene 幸福相談所), interview, 4-5pm, 8th December 2013
  • “United Daily” (聯合報文藝版), art supplement feature, 30 Nov 2013
  • “China Times” (中國時報文藝版), art supplement feature, 29 Nov 2013
  • “In Vishnu’s Dream”, Book of poems – Oct 2013, INK Publishing
  • “Artron”, special gallery feature – 18 Oct 2012, gallery.artron.net
  • “Weibo” Video interview by Zhang Huai Xin, Weibo.com, sina.com.cn, Oct. 2012
  • “The Truth from Dark to Light”, interview – L’officiel Art, Dec. 2011, by Sess Homaru
  • “Lilith’s Mandala”, interview – Art China, Oct. 2011, by Aporia
  • “Chiang Yomei: Spark”, interview – Art.Investment, Oct. 2011, by Lin Yaweh
  • “Special Exhibition: The Art of Chiang Yomei”, interview – Chinese Contemporary Art News, Oct. 2011, by Zheng Nai Ming
  • “Chiang Yomei: Spark”, interview – Numero, Jan/Feb 2012, by Kwanyi Pan
  • “Mei’s Philosophy” interview – Taiwan Tatler, Oct. 2011, by Lee Kung Wen
  • “China Times Art & Culture” – 2 Sept 2011, feature interview by Lee Wei-Jing
  • “United Daily Art & Culture” – 3 Sept. 2011, interview
  • “Special feature by Ma Ji Dong” – Bazaar Art China, March 2012
  • “Editorial” – Asian Art News, Nov./Dec 2007
  • “The Creation of Art and Life – Chiang Yo Mei Interview” – Arch Magazine, Oct. 1999 issue
  • “Drawing out Buddha Nature” (repeat) – Overseas Scholars’ Monthly, 7/1995 issue
  • “Two Chiangs in the Saleroom” – Art of Collection, 11/1995 issue
  • “Chiang YoMei to display work at Shin Kong Museum” – China News, 13/9/1995
  • “From One Space into Another/ The Journey of Chiang Yo Mei” – Central Daily News, 11/9/1995
  • “Chiang Yo Mei – Rhythm and Light – A Journey of the Soul on Canvas” – TV Family Weekly, 7-13/8/1995
  • “Drawing Out Buddha Nature: An Interview with Chiang Yo Mei” – Ming Sherng Pao, Arts Section, Wed., 26/7/1995