Life & Work with Mei Xian Qiu

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mei Xian Qiu.

Hi Mei Xian, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a lawyer and a fine artist. My artwork often explores issues and ideas that I’ve encountered as a lawyer, issues of identity, empowerment, and individual rights. I was born on the island of Java, in Indonesia. We immigrated to the United States when I was a child. Growing up in Java, there was systematic discrimination against the Chinese minority. We were not allowed to speak Chinese, use our Chinese names, or practice traditions.

When I arrived to Los Angeles, I knew it was my city. It was a city built on dreams. I felt free. This city allows people to follow their own paths, to find their own truths, and to be themselves.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. As part of my artwork, I struggled to find out what being “Chinese” meant after having been identified and othered for it but not allowed to express. I went to China five times and discovered that China was trying in its way to shed its past in the pursuit of modernity. I returned to Los Angeles and its own vibrant Chinese communities, where there was support and energy. I turned to books and movies and the industry here and created a cinematic tableau through photography. How are our own views of self-created, modified, and intensified?

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am interested in this idea of cultural tourism and cultural souvenirs, which has existed for thousands of years. Now it manifests differently in our global, connected age. How are ideas of culture expanded or essentialized?

I am proud to be one of the many global transients in Los Angeles, now proudly calling this city my home. As a Peranakan Chinese and an American, I hope that my artwork reflects our diversity and uniqueness.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Listen to your own truth. Don’t be afraid of it. Only by staying true to yourself and what moves you, what you are passionate about, can you truly live.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meixianqiu.com
• Instagram: @mei_xian_qiu
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeiXQiu

Image Credits
Personal photo taken by Ken Weingart