Wang Mengsha

Wuxi Jiangsu China

Wang Mengsha was born to an artistic family in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. She studied animation at the Xi’an Academy of Fine Art. She later completed advanced studies at Griffith University, in Queensland Australia, and the University of Southampton, in the United Kingdom before returning to China as a full time artist. She currently lives and works in Beijing and Wuxi.

Her art style combines her training in animation with a deep interest in traditional Chinese painting and culture. Her unique ‘Xieyi’ style of paintings adopts a sense of humor to innovatively combine aspects of traditional paintings of court maidens and beauties with landscape paintings. Akin to the eminent artist Walasse Ting, with whom she shares a hometown, Wang is associated with bright colours and calligraphic strokes. However, as a female artist she applies a feminine perspective to examine the past and look at the future in ways that redefine contemporary ink art in history and modern culture.

Wang has been honoured with many awards, including in 2009 when the Beijing magazine Chinese Painting selected her as one of "China’s Young Artists Most Deserving of Immediate Media Attention". In 2011 Bazaar Art Magazine selected her artwork as one of "The 100 Most Favourite Artworks of the Year". In 2013 the Beijing magazine National Arts awarded her the "Golden Star Prize". She was awarded the "Academic and Artistic Achievement Award: 7th Art Market Value Ranking" by Beijing Business Today and Beijing Association of Auctioneers in 2024.

Wang Mengsha has three solo exhibitions with Alisan Fine Arts, two in Hong Kong in 2016 and 2024, another one in July 2025 in New York, USA. Group shows include Beyond the Jade Terrace , Hong Kong, 2014; HOPE charity exhibition, Hong Kong, 2018; Themes and Variations, New York, 2024. Alisan also featured Wang's paintings at art fairs around the world, including Paris, London, Singapore, Taiwan, Shanghai and Hong Kong. In 2023, the images of Wang’s colourful works were seen travelling from Sheung Wan to North Point on Hong Kong’s iconic tram to promote Ink Asia, a fair dedicated to promoting ink art. Two catalogues have been published for the artist.

Her work has been acquired by a trustee of The Women's Art Collection, a collection of modern and contemporary art by women artists, to be placed on loan at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, UK. She has exhibited at the University of Edinburgh Library, UK; Galerie 99, Germany; China Cultural Centre, Tokyo, Japan; International Art Centre, Jeju, South Korea; Today Art Museum, Beijing; Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai; College of Fine Art Nanjing Art Institute, Nanjing, China.

BIOGRAPHY

1982 Born in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, grew up in an artistic family

2004 Advanced studies at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia

2006 Graduated from Design Department, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, Xi’an, China, studied animation

2007 Advanced studies at the University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

2020 Proya cosmetics produced an umbrella printed with Wang Mengsha's painting

Yit online shop produced a round fan embroidered with Wang Mengsha's iconic butterfly and scholar rock

2022 Speaker, Online Talk Series "What Should I Draw?", China

Collaborated with trending indigenous Chinese brand “Guan Xia '' to develop a unique packaging for new fragrance "Suzhou Sweet”, China
Participated "Bad Book Market'' in Guangzhou, China
Collaborated product titled “Bobocat x Wang Mengsha” with the online art trading platform “Rodeo Art” in mainland China
Interviewed by CGTN TV programme "The Vibe", Beijing, China

2023 Workshop: Multiverse of Montage, Research Centre For Business and Arts, Peking University, Beijing, China

Present Lives and works in Beijing and Wuxi, China

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025

Wang Mengsha: Borrowed Shadows, Alisan Fine Arts, New York, USA

2023-2024

Wang Mengsha: Whispering Blossoms, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2022

Multiverse of Montage, To Summer Leisure Courtyard, Shanghai, China
What Happened in My Universe, To Summer Leisure Courtyard, Shanghai, China
Flower Terrace, Tsutaya Books, Shanghai, China
Wang Mengsha Solo Exhibition: “Hua Jing”, Qiantan Taikoo Li Tsutaya Books, Shanghai, China

2021

Wang Mengsha Solo Exhibition: “Her Blooming Land”, Space Station, Beijing
Wang Mengsha: Ripples, Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan

2018

Neo-Orientation: Wang Mengsha Solo Exhibition, Space Station, Beijing, China

2017

Suspension: Wang Mengsha Solo Exhibition, Triumph Gallery, Beijing, China

2016

Wang Mengsha: Gardens, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2014

Early Summer, Aura Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2013

Mind upon Paper, Mycenae Gallery, Moganshan Art Zone, Shanghai, China
Dreaming Butterfly, Aura Gallery, Beijing, China

2011

New Ink Painting by Wang Mengsha, Galerie 99, Aschaffenburg, Germany

2010

Fleeting Years, EPSON Gallery, Shanghai, Beijing, China

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

Post-Natural Oasis, Alisan Fine Arts, New York
Art Basel Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Art SG 2025, Alisan Fine Arts, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore
New Shoots from Old Roots, Migrant Bird Space, Shanghai, China
More is a Strategy: The Maximalist Impulse, Migrant Bird Space, Shanghai, China

2024

Themes and Variations, Alisan Fine Arts-New York Gallery, New York, USA
A Horse, Bounds, Across The Sky, A Dragon, Rare, In Human's Eyes: Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Eurus Art Space, Qingdao, China
SUOMEI M50 Art Gallery at Affordable Art Fair New York Fall 2024, SUOMEI M50 Art Gallery, New York, USA

2023

2022

2021

2020

Art 021 Platform, online viewing room, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai, China
Autumn Group Exhibition, Banzhetang Art Space, Nanjing, China
The Revival of Tradition: Another Approach to Contemporary Chinese Art, Song Art Museum, Beijing, China
Goose Flying: Contemporary Women Artists, Proya Qingteng Art Centre, Hangzhou, China

2019

Until the Moss Grows: Women Artists in Ink Painting, Hive Centre for Contemporary Art, Shenzhen, China
1st Taipei Dangdai, Alisan Fine Arts, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei, Taiwan

2018

Art 021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair 2018, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China
HOPE A charity exhibition celebrating the works of outstanding contemporary Chinese women artists, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Incarnation I, W Ming Art, New York, USA
Incarnation II, W Ming Art, New York, USA
Melting Point: International Exhibition Ding You to Wu Xu, L+Space, Shanghai, China
Invitational Exhibition of Famous Artists in Ink Paintings, Qing Bige, Beijing, China
Contemporary Ink Painting Exhibition of Seven Artists: Metaphor, Triumph Art Space, Beijing

2017

Annual Review of China Contemporary Ink Painting, Ucity Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China
Reproduce Soliloquize: Female Artist Invitation Exhibition, Qingdao, China
Regne Animal, Gallery 1618, Paris, France

2016

The Power of Attention: Ink Painting Works of Young Artists, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
Literati Painting From Six Artists 15th Anniversary of Soka Art Beijing, Soka Art, Beijing, China

Travel Notes, Space Station, Beijing
New Tales of Ink, Triumph Art Space, Beijing

2015

Artificial Fairyland: Chinese and South Korean Young Art Exhibition, Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China
Post-tradition and Its Origins, UCCA Store, Beijing, China
Art Space vs Open Borders, Germany & China: International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Art Museum of Nanjing University of Art, Nanjing, China
Bifurcation, Soka Art, Beijing, China

2014

Beyond the Jade Terrace, Alisan Fine Arts-Aberdeen Gallery, Hong Kong
The Power of Attention, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
She: The Era, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China
Dress Right, Triumph Art Space Beijing, China

2013

New Formation of Academy, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
New Ink New Youth, New Ink Image Gallery, Beijing, China
Dream to be Disappeared: Invitational Exhibition of New Ink Paintings by Young Artists, Shin Kong Place, Beijing, China
What We Think Can Be Told to the Others: Ink Painting Exhibition, Beyond Art Space, Beijing, China
Mind upon Paper: Painting & Calligraphy by Shi Xu, Fan Yang, Wang Mengsha, Zhongshan Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
Chinese paintings by established artists, Shandong, China

2012

Theory by Zhuangzi: Nomination Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Young Artists, China National Convention Centre, Beijing, China
Chinese Opera Characters Painting Exhibition, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Vision China: Edinburgh Chinese Ink Painting Exhibition, University of Edinburgh Library, Edinburgh, UK
Crisscrossed Ink Painting: Shanghai New Ink Art Exhibition 2012, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China

2011

1st Station of Vision China, Asia Travelling Exhibition: Chinese New Ink Paintings,
Tokyo Chinese Cultural Centre, Tokyo, Japan
New Formation of Academy: New Works by Contemporary Chinese Famous Painters, Keyuan Museum, Dongguan, China
Jeju International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Jeju International Art Centre, Jeju, South Korea
New Formation of Academy, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Meticulous Painting Exhibition by Chinese Young Artists, Bank of China Art Space, Beijing, China

2010

Brush and Ink, Noble Mind: Nomination Exhibition of Chinese Painters of the New Generation, Shanxi Art Museum, Xi’an, China

Exhibition of Laureates of International Chinese Young Artists, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China

2009

Group Exhibition of China’s 10 Young Artists Most Deserving of Immediate Media Attention, Chinese Painting Magazine Art Space, Beijing, China

SELECTED AWARDS
2009 Selected as one of China’s 10 Young Artists Most Deserving of Immediate Media

Attention, Chinese Painting Magazine, Beijing, China
Awarded The Most Outstanding Young Artists in China
Selected to participate in the International Young Artists Festival, China

2011 Selected as one of The 100 Most Favourite Artworks of the Year, Bazaar Art, China

2013 Golden Star Prize, National Arts Magazine, Beijing, China

2018 Nominated China Young Artist Award, Beijing, China

2021 Top 10 Artistic Value Award, Beijing, China

2024 Academic and Artistic Achievement Award, 7th Art Market Value Ranking, Beijing

Business Today and Beijing Association of Auctioneers, Beijing, China

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Trustee of "The Women's Art Collection", Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, UK

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2011 Illusion: Wang Mengsha, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China

2014 Beyond the Jade Terrace, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2016 Wang Mengsha: Gardens, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2022 Events in My Universe, Send Points Publishing, Guangzhou, China
2025 Wang Mengsha, Send Points Publishing, Guangzhou, China