Delicious Art: Mengqi Xu

By Christine Choung, Creative Non-Fiction Editor ∼ 

Remember that scene from “Ratatouille?” When Remy the rat was eating those cheeses and strawberries and hues of purple and orange tangoed through the sky? The feeling of food and the relationship we have when it comes to the mere taste of a sweet or a salty flavor? Or the spicy pins and needles we feel on the tips of our tongues or maybe the feeling of hunger or the loss of hunger while eating? These feelings about food and more are what Mengqi Xu aims to capture with her art.

Born in Kunming, Yunnan, China, Xu is currently working as an Assistant Teaching Professor in Foundation Art at Penn State. Xu obtained a BFA in industrial design from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and an MFA in sculpture at Pennsylvania State University, where she ultimately decided to pursue an education-related career teaching art. This is her first time working a post-school full-time job.

As a student in one of Xu’s art foundation classes, I was given the assignment to create dining ware based on how we view and experience food. This assignment was inspired by Xu’s experience as an Asian artist living between the U.S. and China, as well as her focused research on her food journey.

With curiosity, I pursued the opportunity to interview Xu and learn more about what inspires her work as well as how she executes her creativity. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Xu was unable to have an in-person interview, so instead, we exchanged information through email.

 

Food Inspires

 

Xu’s main artistic style comes from her inspiration from food. “I grew up in a family that never lectured children at the dinner table,” Xu said. “So I connected food with a lot of splendid feelings when I was young.”

Not only does Xu find that correlation between food and feelings, but she finds that food is a cultural touchstone across all cultures that is often used as a resolution in conflict, as food can provide a sense of comfort and apology.

Xu sees food as a daily need for all. She points to the Chinese saying: “ ‘民以食为天(Min Yi Shi Wei Tian).’  Translated literally to: people regard food as the sky. It means that food is the first and foremost sustenance in people’s lives.”

“As a Chinese saying goes: “民以食为天(Min Yi Shi Wei Tian).”  Translated literally to: people regard food as the sky. It means that food is the first and foremost sustenance in people’s lives.” 

Xu utilizes food as a metaphor for global issues as well as her own cross-cultural identity. Her works are often interactive and encourage people to engage, whether it be them physically tasting the artwork or donating food packages.

Her favorite piece from her collection, called “[Wòh] 和 Harmony,” was a collaborative art project with the public where she invited Chinese/American-born-Chinese people to donate their used Asian seasoning packaging from their own kitchens. She notes: “These objects, once used in a personal setting, become representative of their unique bodies and identity.”

“These objects, once used in a personal setting, become representative of their unique bodies and identity.”

Her idea was based on the unique cultures of people who live and work within or between Chinese and American cultures. She saw that the seasoning packaging that was sold in these local Asian Grocery stores had a unique design that was specifically made and exported to the U.S. market.

Her fascination with the contrasting packaging between China and America inspired her perspective on the connection between the two countries.

“They become visual and somatic bridges between China and the U.S.”

Xu continued to share that this piece became one of her favorite pieces, displaying her unique immigrant identity.

“[The contrasting food packages] become visual and somatic bridges between China and the US.”

Across Xu’s website, Mumukei displays more of her artwork. Another piece that visualizes her relationship with food is “The Food That Eats You Back.” In this project, Xu cast her own mouth and translated it into a bronze utensil set.

Ultimately, this project was inspired by “silent disease.” The silent disease can refer to multiple eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia, or binge eating where the desire for food becomes consumed by guilt or sickness. These eating disorders can range from problems of eating too little, eating too much, or eating and immediately rejecting the food orally.

While using this utensil set, the cold and rough bronze represents how your teeth and tongue become “cold machines just for chopping and grinding.” Using the set of utensils Xu tries to visualize the feeling of eating food in the eyes of someone who may be struggling with a silent disease.

“You think that you are swallowing the food, but somehow the food is also devouring you and your soul.”

This piece exemplifies the visual aspect of what it feels like to struggle with an eating disorder. This set is not meant for daily use and is not up for display at this time, but it can be viewed on Xu’s website.

Xu doesn’t just create 3D art, but she also takes an interest in expressing her artistic style through photography. She features lots of photography on her website.

One collection features a Chinese woman named Li Na, who runs a local Chinese supermarket in Pennsylvania called Far Corners Asian Supermarket. Throughout the collection you can see a story of an immigrant woman who has a husband and three kids, diligently running a small business.

Xu took an interest in Na and her enthusiasm and lively outlook in life. Xu states that Na “represents thousands of Chinese families who have started businesses and worked hard in the United States since the 1990s.” 

 

Following Xu

 

Overall, Xu’s favorite part of her work is the part when she can show her audience and connect with them on a visual level. She hopes that her viewers “can have their own AHA! Moment” just like her and have a “diverse perspective for food.”

While Xu is currently exploring and learning more traditional Chinese art techniques, Xu also recently received a commission at the Woksob Family Gallery in downtown State College. It is an exhibition of an immersive light and space installation commenting on climate change.

“It explores the behavioral change and desperate migration of animals in order to avoid extinction due to climate change,” Xu said.

Xu’s installation, “I See Fish in the Somber Woods,” was inspired by traditional Chinese art (calligraphy, poetry, painting, and architecture). Xu received this commission in July 2022 and finished the installation in January 2023.

“Imbued with a sense of mystery and romance, the site-specific installation turns attention to the critical issues of habitat loss and migration driven by climate change,” said Xu about the installation.

The Woksob Family gallery is open on Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the exhibition is currently available to attend until August 2023. The opening reception for “I See Fish in the Somber Woods,” will be on April 21, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Woksob Family Gallery is also holding upcoming workshops on traditional Chinese art for anyone above the age of four to six.

As of now, Xu will be teaching art foundation classes at Pennsylvania State University. If you are interested in learning more about the world of art and working with Xu, you can sign up for Art 111, Ideas As Objects, in the next semester.

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Christine Choug is the Creative Non-Fiction editor for KLIO. Her major is Digital Arts and Media Design, and she is a first-year student. Outside of KLIO, she is not involved with many other extracurriculars. She mainly enjoys pursuing her passions outside of school like practicing art in the studio or designing.