Me & 美 (Mi: beauty)
August 17–30, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 20th, 6 - 8 PM
The Asian & American Art Foundation(526 W. 26th Street, Suite 211, NY City) is pleased to present Me & 美 (Mi: Beauty), a group exhibition featuring eleven women artists: Pam Cooper, Eva Petrič, Michelle Chu, Joohyun Kang, Renee Magnanti, Minah Park, Elisabeth P. Purcell, Mijung Kim, Clarita Liepolt, Namjoo Kim, and Gao Yuan. This Exhibition will run from August 17 through 30, 2026, with an opening reception on Thursday, August 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Me & 美 (Mi: Beauty) celebrates the diverse voices of eleven contemporary women artists whose works explore the relationship between the self and the concept of beauty. Through painting, sculpture, photography, installation, and mixed media, the exhibition examines beauty not as an external ideal or cultural standard, but as an expression of identity, memory, resilience, lived experience, and personal truth.
The exhibition title is rooted in the idea of homophone, bringing together the English word "Me" and the Chinese character "美" (Mi), meaning "beauty," which share the same pronunciation in Korean. This linguistic convergence serves as a poetic metaphor, suggesting that beauty begins with selfhood. Rather than presenting beauty as something to be attained, the participating artists reveal it as an inherent quality—one shaped by individuality, vulnerability, cultural identity, and the richness of human experience. Together, their works offer diverse perspectives on what it means to recognize, embrace, and celebrate one's authentic self.
Pam Cooper’s mandala series examines the pressures of contemporary beauty culture and the ways media and social expectations shape our perceptions of self-worth. Through intricate circular compositions, she reflects on identity, self-image, and the search for authentic beauty beyond imposed ideals.
Eva Petrič transforms recycled handmade laces from around the world into a tapestry-like collage inspired by the landscapes of Japan. The work reflects resilience, hope, and the interconnectedness of life, reminding us that beauty and dreams can emerge even amid uncertainty.
Michelle Chu transforms Hanji, traditional Korean mulberry paper, into meditative compositions that explore resilience, spirituality, and the beauty found in fragmented experiences. Through layered forms and symbolic textures, her work reflects the quiet strength and harmony that emerge from life’s imperfect moments.
Joohyun Kang’s work reflects on the fragility of human existence and our connection to the cycles of nature. Through layered forms and intricate dots, she creates contemplative landscapes that visualize memory, inner experience, and the quiet resilience of life.
Renee Magnanti 's work explores pattern, textiles, and printmaking through a feminist lens, drawing inspiration from the traditions of women's fiber arts and her own family history. By honoring the often-overlooked contributions of women to art, science, and culture, her work celebrates resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of women's voices.
Minah Park explores the body and its extensions as vessels that hold memory, emotion, and traces of lived experience. Through installation, printmaking, and object-making, she reflects on the fragile desire to preserve what is ultimately intangible.
Elisabeth P. Purcell’s sculptures reveal the quiet beauty and inherent character of natural stone through a process of direct carving and discovery. Her works explore the connection between nature, memory, and the human spirit, transforming marble and stone into expressions of balance, movement, and timeless presence.
Mijung Kim explores the fragile landscape of the human psyche in an age of rapid urbanization and digital isolation. Through expressive painting and visual metaphors, she examines the search for the authentic self beneath layers of social expectation, vulnerability, and emotional fragmentation.
Clarita Liepolt transforms reclaimed aluminum and industrial remnants into poetic sculptures and mixed-media works that explore transformation, memory, and resilience. Through the reinvention of overlooked materials, she reveals new connections between structure, history, and the human experience.
Namjoo Kim’s mirror paintings explore the relationship between identity, memory, and self-reflection. Through reflective surfaces and fluid imagery, her work transforms the viewer’s own presence into part of the artwork, revealing beauty as an evolving expression of the authentic self.
Gao Yuan explores the human body as a canvas of beauty, identity, and transformation. Combining photography, sculpture, and performance, her works examine the relationship between the body, nature, and personal expression through the language of image, form, and mark-making.