WEITING WEI
Location:
Powell, OH, USA
ARTIST BIO
Weiting Wei (b.1984) grew up in Fujian, China and immigrated to the USA in 2014, she lives and works in Columbus, OH. Weiting received a Bachelor of Education, Fujian Huanan Women’s Vocational College in China and her MFA from Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, OH. She has shown her work nationally and internationally most recently at Yellowstone Art Museum, MT, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, TX, Evansville Museum, IN, Zanesville Museum, OH, and China.
Her work is centered on identity as a mother and caregiver entangled with being an artist, knowing how materials work, using processes that are similar to domestic life allows familiarity with the forms, and muscle memory. She is able to engage with the subtleties of the materials, how they move and respond to her hands and the combination of clay forming and also the use of kitchen tools that she utilizes to create the work. Her work crosses the domestic with memories of her life in China, while her thoughts are often centered on the day to day she experiences with her family and children. The experience of being a mother, an immigrant, and an artist.
Earlier works explored themes of pregnancy and motherhood through material use, and Chinese symbolism. Her recent works focus on the paradox of parenting, specifically, being the primary caregiver. As she creates the forms it provides her with peace and relief from the anxiety and tension. Even though she may reflect on the moments of her day that she is least proud of while she is making, the artwork promotes an invitation to look closer, to study the details contained within its monochrome and stark surfaces, the intricacies and beauty, we can overlook if we are not careful.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My identity as a mother and caregiver is entangled with being an artist, knowing how materials work, using processes that are similar to domestic life allows familiarity with the forms, and muscle memory, so that I am able to engage with the subtleties of the materials, how they move and respond to my hands and the combination of clay forming and also the use of kitchen tools that I utilize to create the work. My work crosses the domestic through use of tools and themes focused on pregnancy, children, and motherhood while being entangled with memories and traditions from my life in China.
My recent works focus on the paradox of parenting, specifically, being the primary caregiver. Although you would not look at the artwork and see domesticity and children, the paradox is in the contrast of colors and forms, black and white strike against one another, octopus suction cups to pull and keep things close, layers of edges to hide or protect oneself from emotion and need. As I create the forms it provides me with peace and relief from the anxiety and tension, the ability to have moments of flow using my body, while making, relieve the anger. Even though I may reflect on the moments of my day that I am least proud of while I am making, the artwork promotes an invitation to look closer, to study the details contained within its monochrome and stark surfaces, the intricacies and beauty, we can overlook if we are not careful.
