MengXing’s Quest
Wang Mengxing, a 21-year-old artist from Langfang, Hebei province, has lived with brittle bone disease since birth. For most people, breaking a bone is an event that happens once in a while, but for Wang, it's a constant fear. Despite the challenges posed by her condition, which has led her to break multiple bones over the years, her passion for art burns bright. “I’m not sure how many times I broke a bone last year,” Wang reflects, a testament to her resilience. Supported by a loving family and a wheelchair, she has managed to pursue her dream of becoming an artist.
Wang's journey to becoming an artist was an unexpected one. “We found this girl with enormous self-confidence and spirit,” recalls Ian Charles Stuart, a social entrepreneur who helped Wang find the support she needed. At the time, Wang was self-taught, sketching and painting on her own without any formal art education. When Stuart met her, she was already trying to learn English and practicing art independently. Inspired by her determination, Stuart and his partner introduced her to the art community, providing her with a modern wheelchair that allowed her to move independently and access new opportunities.
In her early work, Wang focused on traditional subjects, such as a Song Dynasty painting of two phoenixes and ink-and-brush studies of pomegranates. She had a natural ability for art, which was showcased in her first exhibition organized by ZHC Art Center. The event was a success, with collectors buying all 15 paintings in just 90 minutes. The gallery also encouraged her to explore other styles and create self-portraits, which would become a turning point in her artistic journey. Wang’s self-portraits, full of bold colors and striking compositions, showcased her unique artistic vision and quickly garnered attention from art professionals, including art consultant Emily de Wolfe Pettit, who described the work as "extremely bold and powerful" with a freshness that comes from being self-taught.
Despite her artistic success, Wang's education was limited. Due to her condition, she was unable to attend secondary school, but she remained eager to learn. Using the internet, she found courses to study English and expand her knowledge of art. Wang’s perseverance and dedication paid off as her works started to gain recognition from galleries and art enthusiasts. “People are attracted to her work and to the person she has become,” Stuart says, praising Wang’s positive and energetic personality. “She’s alive, positive and energetic. All of these things encourage people to believe that she can do the things that she wishes to do.”
Wang's ultimate goal is to study art at a private art school, something she hopes to achieve through the money earned from her paintings. “That is what the money I can earn from my paintings means to me,” she explains. Despite the struggles of growing up with a debilitating condition, Wang remains driven, showing no signs of slowing down. She finds joy in every step of her journey and continues to create art that captures the essence of her unique perspective on life.
Wang’s most recent works reflect her self-image, with one painting depicting her as a young woman in a red dress and another of her sitting in a wheelchair on stage, casting a shadow of a ballerina. The imagery is a reflection of her inner strength and desire for independence. “That’s how I see myself,” she says with a smile. As her work continues to evolve, Wang Mengxing is not just creating art; she’s inspiring others to believe in their dreams and overcome the odds.