-- Artist statement
“I Stand Beween” creates a multimedia platform for Asian transracial adoptees of all ages and backgrounds to share their own voice of navigating the in-between space of race and culture. The project aims to challenge the definition of authenticity and encourage people to embrace the multifaceted aspects of our identity.
Mengwen Cao is a photographer, multimedia artist, and cultural organizer. Born and raised in China, they are based in New York. They are currently the Visuals Editor at ChinaFile and the Project Manager at Magnum Foundation.
As a queer immigrant, they use care and tenderness to explore spaces between race, gender, and cultural identity. As a board member of Authority Collective and a founding member of Chinese Storytellers, they are fighting to make more space for diverse narratives and perspectives in the media industry.
Their projects have been featured on publications like The New York Times, NPR, Mashable, BUST, Foreign Policy, The Guardian, Sina, Tencent. They have participated in international exhibitions like Photoville, Jimei Arles, Lianzhou Foto Festival.
Mengwen graduated from the New Media Narratives and Documentary Practice program at the International Center of Photography. They received NLGJA’s Excellence in Photojournalism Award in 2019. They were recognized by The Lit List in 2018 and PDN 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch in 2019. Previously, Mengwen has worked as an instructional designer and a user experience designer.
More information: mengwencao.com
