Meimei Mashao

• Born in 1963, as a member of the Atayal tribe.
• 1983, graduated from Taiwan Woman's College of Arts and Technology Art department.
• 1988, started working with leather.
• 1989, accepted a job as instructor of children's toys at the Taichung Folk Art Park.
• 1990, instructor in leather sculpture at Taichung County Cultural Center.
• 1993, "Grandmother's Dinner" selected for the Taiwan City Art Exhibition.
• 1997, received an invitation to participate in "Taiwan Provincial Fine Arts Museum Joint Exhibition" and "Image Artist Joint Exhibition".
• 1997, started working in mural painting with stone.
• 1998, accepted a post as instructor of aboriginal cloth-dyeing handicrafts in Taoyuan County, also returned to her tribe and worked as a teacher.
• 1998, April received an invitation to participate in the "Mind and Spirit: Women Art in Taiwan" organized by the Taipei Museum of Fine Arts.
• 1999, April received an invitation to participate in the "International Mask Art Exhibition" organized by the Miaoly City Cultural Center.
• 2000,July received an invitation to participate in the "Joint Exhibition of National Female Artists "

Meimei Mashoa,Grandmother's Dinner, 1993, carved and dyed on leather, 120 x 90 cm.

"Traditional spirit and ancient wisdom are rich roots of today's modern culture. As artistic creation is an extension of this culture life, I have chosen artistic creativity to be my life-long vocation." Meimei Mashao says, "By combining the essence of the contemporary aesthetic ideas whilst retaining a traditional spirit; fusing a greater variety of aboriginal totemic symbolist imagery; and the using of the different themes, matching and diversification, I believe absolutely aboriginal art will be able to give people a completely new impression." Perhaps then, this is why artist Meimei Mashao is perceived to be one of the most innovative Taiwanese female artists. Using leather materials, crudely carved and dyed leather sculptures have helped to refashion public perceptions of art.

"Grandmother Dinner (1993), a famous work by Meimei Mashao, shows the artist's own grandmother preparing rice cooked in a bamboo tube." Su Chi-Ming, the researcher of National Museum of History in Taiwan, wrote, "The old woman, with her facial tattoos, is focusing her attention on splitting open the bamboo tube to serve the rice. Despite the simplicity of the meal, the work is redolent of love and concern. The image of the old woman as shown using the strong lines of the leather had power that could not easily be achieved with ordinary two-dimensional painting." Su Chi-Ming wrote. Many of Meimei's works , including "Grandmother's Dinner " , embody the image of her dreamland. " The dream is the my special gift from God. I thank God. From a dream, I get many pictures and inspirations to enrich my creativity" Meimei says.

Leather-carving is a more two-dimensional form of art. Leather-carving was not really a traditional art media among the Taiwanese aborigines. Meimei Mashoa's leather sculpture began during her early years as a student at Taiwan Woman's College of Arts. " For one time, I went to a leather sculpture exhibition and admired the inherent beauties of leather. It gave rich association and I recalled my childhood. When I was young, I saw my grandfather usually tailored a waistcoat or a cloak with leather of the sheep or deer. Leather is the most humanly intimate of materials to me. I love the natural and alive tactile experience of leather. From that point, I started to experiment how to convey the feeling of simplicity, primitive strength, awkward aesthetic with leather." Meimei says.

Meimei Mashoa,Lost Warrior, 1997, painting on cloth, 60 x 42 cm.

Meimei Mashoa, The mask of Drunk Atayal man, 1999, mixed media, 58 x 32 x 18 cm.

In 1992, Meimei established her studio, and in 1998 she went back to her tribe to work as a teacher of handicrafts. During this period, Meimei tried different media to create, including mural painting with stone, cloth dyeing, painting on cotton cloth, and mixed media. She still maintains her style of simple and awkwardness while retaining uniquely inherent beauties of natural media. "What is important is not the medium used, but rather the concept that is being expressed." Meimei says confidently. Meimei gives herself even more expectation and assiduity, besides dedicating herself to advance artistic creativity. She also wants to establish aboriginal roots through her teaching and carrying out tribal education. "Taiwan's aborigines' artistic expression was originally full of the group's passion and creativity, embracing tribal mythology and experience of life. Although aboriginal art was rich in portrayal of the times goes by, it lacked suitable environment and direction." Meimei says," I hope that my studio will become a conveyancer of aesthetics and tribal skills, and better allow public a deeper understanding of aboriginal art and culture. This hard but meaningful work is proceeding"