An Interview With Donglai Meng

Donglai Meng is interested in the study of psychoanalysis, and the relationship between real experiences and the subconscious, especially the 'immersive daydreaming' phenomena.

Meng’s inspiration comes from different states of the human psyche, literature, drama, fairy tales, social issues, and subcultures. Her works are mainly paintings, fiction novels, and installations. The narrative is essential in her works. She is obsessed with putting creations in a fictional background, just like building a dream in the real world, making it a hint and reflection of fundamental problems and attempting to arouse the audience's attention to their inner experiences. Through exploring, Donglai hopes to understand further the various psychological states of human beings and their significance and function for ourselves and society.

Can you tell us a little bit about you?

My name is Donglai Meng, and I was born in Dalian, China. In 2013, I went to Italy to study oil painting, and later pursued a master's degree of fine arts in the Netherlands, graduating in 2019. After graduation, I have been living as an artist in both the Netherlands and China. Besides my artist career, I am also a novelist, currently writing a novel with a high school drama theme. I love dogs, and my favourite foods are KFC and zero coke.

What is your artistic process and how has it evolved since you began painting?

My art education started very early. When I was five years old, my father sent me to a professional art school to learn how to draw. At that time, China's art education was kind of a copy of the Russian style, focusing on still life, landscapes, and portraits. When I went to Italy for my undergraduate studies, I was disappointed to find that the courses were still about those things, and I felt extremely bored and frustrated. I thought, "Fuck this, I'm never going to paint anymore." So after Italy, I went to the Netherlands to study the most avant-garde art. It was like entering a new education system—it was so interesting and liberating. I could freely explore the themes I was interested in without being limited by techniques and criteria. Gradually, I found my topic of research. After giving up drawing for a while, I picked up the brush again, no longer painting just to create a painting or striving to make it good. It felt completely different.

Where does your interest in psychoanalysis stem from?

Like all teenagers, at the age of sixteen, I also had a crazy, unstable mental state, hating sitting in school, hating painting, hating my parents, and everyone else in my life, feeling miserable and irritable every day. By coincidence, I went to see a psychologist and then decided to spend a few months with her. In addition to counseling, she also introduced me to some interesting psychological tests, such as the House-Tree-Person test, sandplay, dream analysis, hypnosis, and so on. It was from then on that I became greatly interested in the mysterious psychological world.

What are some of the recent themes you have been exploring in your ongoing series 'Nobody Cares'?

It all started with "Hairy Legs." "Hairy Legs" is a character I created in 2019, when I was deeply immersed in the exploration of psychoanalysis, especially fascinated by the meanings behind the images that appeared in dreams. I didn't like things that were too straightforward; instead, I was drawn to decryption games that sparked my interest because they required rational analysis and imaginative thinking, connecting to many different aspects. For example, I had a dream of strange monsters that cut a large wound on my mother's belly, and we had to escape by boarding a spacecraft, with the monsters relentlessly chasing us. Here, the belly, the wound, the spacecraft, and the monsters actually were symbols in the dream that correspond to real-life events. This inspired me to create a symbol that was meaningless on its own but took on special meaning when placed in a particular context. Just like my mother's belly, which was uninteresting by itself but meant a lot when linked to me. I then saw my legs—two legs covered in very thick hair… In short, they became the protagonist in my stories. My works usually appear in series, like different novels, each with its own independent storyline but all revolving around a common theme—immersive daydreaming (a psychological phenomenon). The new "nobody cares" series is also based on this. Through two-dimensional paintings, I explore the aspects of immersive daydreaming and narrative techniques. This time, the stage for the "Hairy-Legs people" is set on Earth, in the corners where nobody pays attention, where they embark on their new stories. I use Google Maps' street view mode for my creations. The choice of location is random, whether in the southern or northern hemisphere, urban or rural areas. I choose wherever my finger lands, of course, with some adjustments for composition. These ordinary yet mundane scenes may never involve me, but they often constitute the important daily lives of others. Through Google's street view cars, we are able to meet in the virtual network, seemingly experiencing nothing yet going through a particularly special adventure.

How do you hope your art will impact viewers?

Forming a connection with a piece of artwork is a private thing, and it is destined to be a low-probability event. As an artist, I hope to create open-ended stories, where the ultimate interpretation lies in the hands of each individual. Different viewers, carrying different backgrounds and imaginations, interpret and associate with the art, which has nothing to do with me and everything to do with themselves.

What is the biggest challenge you face as an artist?

Maybe it's about life being too happy, too free and somehow reaching the point of feeling vaguely uneasy. There is an old Chinese saying: Born in suffering, die in peace. I try to remain vigilant in happiness.

Your earliest memory of art?

When I was a kid, I drew little girls and dogs on paper.

Are there any particular artists that you are currently enjoying?

I often discover talented artists on Instagram, emerging or established, and their works are amazing. However, I try not to look at them too much, as I worry that I might be too "inspired" and lose myself. I want to maintain my independence in thought and style.

What is your favourite book or film and why?

I'm not someone who enjoys entering other people's thoughts; both novels and movies tend to detach me from my own world, causing unsettling emotional fluctuations, so I often feel resistant. However, I will read books related to my work themes, and apart from that, I am quite into documentaries, particularly those about crime, food, or animals.

Are you working on any new projects you are particularly excited about?

Recently, I've been preparing for the upcoming exhibitions. I think the biggest benefits of being an artist is having the freedom to choose what to do, which always keeps me excited enough.

Donglai Meng - Instagram

Donglai Meng - Website