Mei Mei (Marta) is a visual artist based in London.
Originally from La Rioja, Spain, Mei Mei studied Fine Art & Photography at the Universities of Salamanca & Barcelona.
She works with sculpture, photography and photomontage.
Her photographic work combines the capturing of real situations and images with other resources to generate scenes set on the border between documentary and narrative fiction, blurring the boundaries between storytelling and real fact. It uses a mixture of exploration, observation, patience, photographic knowledge and experience. She tries to explore the beauty and the mystery of the unexpected in an urban environment, transforming the mundane into an unusual work of art. 

Mei Mei’s sculpture seeks to find a balance between the dualities of innocence and darkness, the divine and the animal, grounded in the earth. An element of the monstrous has always allowed artists to communicate their ideas and their feelings freely, and there is an aspect of this in her work. She strives to combine the kindness and darkness that are intrinsic to human nature.

An interest in myth, symbolism and divine beings from different cultures has always informed her work. Collecting rare objects and dolls has been a part of her creative process, as she looks for the contrast between the found object that comes with its own history and the softness, tactility and warmth of felted wool resulting in these hybrid whimsical creatures. Both the making process and the material are extremely important in her work, shaping hand-dyed wool using traditional sculptural processes and using a needle felt technique to create meticulous and detailed shapes, with a uniquely organic feeling.


EXHIBITIONS / PUBLICATIONS

2021
Dreambags and Jaguar Shoes, Kirk Gallery, Denmark

2019 
Anima Group Exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, Prints and Originals exhibition Room, London. Curator Paul Foster
Aligning Group Show Curated by Woldt Gallery, featured Artists of the Gallery. The Exhibitionist hotel, London

2018
El Poder de la presencia: First Group Exhibition of the project Mujeres Mirando Mujeres. Est Art Space, Madrid. 

2017 
Un cierto panorama New Spanish Photography Talents exhibition, Sala Canal Isabel II, Madrid
Blank Wall Gallery Street photography exhibition, Group show. Athens 
The Independent Photographer Finalist for the Open call People, Image selected for the New Talents book

2016 
Creative Debuts First Thursdays “Twenty” Photomontage and collage exhibition as part of First Thursdays Whitechapel tour 
British Spanish Society Centenary: Invited artist to exhibit at the BSS Centenary in London

2015
The other Art Fair 2015 Art fair for Independent artists in London. Old Truman Brewery 
Life Framer group exhibition by Life Framer, including their featured photographers of 2015. Oberkampf Gallery, Paris 
The Silk: Group Exhibition at James Freeman Gallery. London.
Contemporary Rituals, Solo exhibition for Festival EME art festival, a selection of photographs from Post Memories project taken in Shanghai, UK and Spain. Bretón Gallery, Santander, Spain. 
Pop Living Group show. Schwartz Gallery, London.
Commeting the World Contemporary Photography group show for the cultural festival Actual. Casa de La Imagen Gallery, Logroño (La Rioja) Spain.

2014
The Winter Garden, Group Exhibition, James Freeman Gallery. Londres.
Post Memories London, Solo Exhibition at James Freeman Gallery, London
NOA 2014, Group Exhibition winners of National Open Art Competition 2014. Somerset House London 
International Photography Festival Party em foco, Main Photography installation at the festival in Paraty Brazil.
Mirar otra vez Private collection Julio Álvarez Sotos, Spain
De la mimesis a la ficcion y viceversa, Festival Miradas de mujer, 3 pieces from the series “Post Memories-Shanghai ” Adora Calvo Contemporary art Gallery, Spain.
Anonymous Solo exhibition, Planta Baja Gallery, Logroño, Spain.
Post Memories: LONDON AND SHANGHAI , Solo show at Spectrum Sotos, Contemporary Photography Gallery, Spain.

2013
Presentation of emerging Artist Project at Würth Museum
Parallel Realities Group Exhibition, Photography, H2O Gallery
Young Arts Awards of La Rioja Group Exhibition, Winners for the Young arts Awards of La Rioja. Project awarded: "Post Memories Shanghai" Exhibited at Esdir School of Arts and Design, La Rioja Spain.

2012
Post Memories Shanghai Solo Exhibition at Pantocrator Gallery for their Art Residence Program in M50 art district, Shanghai
Swab Art Fair, Barcelona. Represented by Pantocrator Gallery, Barcelona

2011
Anonymous Selected Project with economic concession from the Ministry of Culture of Spain, and Council of Catalonia.
Cultural Centre Pati Llimona, Photography Centre Jardins de La Pau. Barcelona, Spain. 


AWARDS / RECOGNITIONS

2017
Selected for the book and exhibition A certain panorama (Un cierto panorama)-new photography talents in Spain selected for the book New talents

2018
by The Independent Photographer 

2016
Lovisual art festival: Invited artist, Photography installation for the festival in La Rioja, Spain•Featured Artist by Kippel contemporary art platform for their annual printed publication, “Habitar lo Habitual”

2015
Featured Photographer by Life Framer, work included on Life Framer Book Volume II, and on Life Framer Exhibition Tour 2015.

2014
Ward Thomas Photography Award Institution/ National Open Art Competition NOA 2014, London•Photography installation for International photography event Paraty em Foco, Brazil. Organizers Studuio Madalena. Curator: Claudi Carreras

2013 
Professionalization of emerging artists Award (Profesionalización de jóvenes artistas). Würth Museum and Instituto Riojano de la Juventud, Spain•Photography Award Young arts Awards of La Rioja (Muestra de Arte Joven de La Rioja) Ministry of culture of La Rioja, Spain 

2012 
Artistic Residence La Pan Stage Residence Program. Development of a project and exhibition, Pantocrator Gallery, Shanghai China•IX Grant Roberto Villagraz, Concession to study a Master in Art Photography at EFTI Photography School, Madrid Spain
2011 Grant for the Visual Arts Music and Literature. Concession to develop and exhibit the Photography Project "Anonymous". Ministry of education and culture and Council of Barcelona, Spain.

2010
Photography Award Young arts Awards of La Rioja(Muestra de Arte Joven de La Rioja) Spain. Ministry of culture of La Rioja, Spain