About
Ava Mei (b. 2003, Pennsylvania) investigates the tension between portraiture and the external environment through surreal and dreamlike paintings to disturb the presentation of humanness and consciousness. She paints the body as a bridge reflecting both the inner-self and superficial skin through intentional brush strokes and muted colors. As she navigates her identity as a Chinese-American adoptee, she paints different moments of introspection and physical body as a self-portrait of the mind. Martin received her BA in Fine Arts and Biology at The George Washington University Corcoran School of the Arts and Design (2025), and she resides in Washington, D.C. Currently, she is working as an art handler in the DMV area and as a studio assistant for artists William Newman. She has previously shown work at the Corcoran Senior thesis, Touchstone Gallery, Sitar Arts Center, and the Ware Center. She also held her solo exhibition Chimeric Whims in 2024 at the Corcoran Galleries.
Artist Statement
My painting process is an active reflection of my self-perception, inner consciousness, and identity as a human. I contend with the imbalanced perceptions of the self through the lenses of biology, race, and philosophy to examine how I am seen as a product of my education and social culture. Through my affinity with specific, referential imagery, I grapple with external influences from art and academic histories. My art utilizes the self-portrait and the body as symbols of mental states based in the biological body. The subjects are set in my mind’s eye, resulting in murky, dramatic atmospheres. I continue to develop different motifs to represent me which disturbs the presentation of my humanness.
Contact
ava.mei.art@gmail.com
Resume & CV