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WHO IS
MIAO YING?
The "About me" page of Miao Ying's personal website introduces that,
"Miao Ying is an internet artist who currently resides on The Internet, the Chinese Internet (the Great Fire Wall) and her smartphone."
In fact, Miao Ying's artworks can be seen as the collages of the elements of popular culture within the Chinese Internet. Ying always hybridizes different elements from popular media, fan culture, and advertisements, and then diffuses them all over the web browser. Her range of selection is multi-source, containing the fragments of fashion posters, the interactive BiliBili videos, memes, etc.
Through the grotesque, variegated and somewhat humorous representation of Chinese Internet culture, Ying also tries to explore the socio-cultural background behind these cultural phenomena. Her introduction says,
"Her works address her Stockholm Syndrome relationship with censorship. As a participant and observer, her work also explores self-censorship, which is the source of creativity of the Chinese internet, and has given rise to much more interesting and creative forms of self expression by Chinese netizens."
Valentine comments that “the extreme creativity and vibrancy on the Chinese internet is hard to grasp as a Westerner who is a devout defender of free speech. ”Chan also says that “Miao Ying’s practice—particularly her web-based work—allows users outside China to get a glimpse of life within the Great Firewall in a humorous and accessible way.” Thus, Miao Ying's artworks can be seen a display window to show how the Chinese Internet looks like with the strict censorship. Although the free speech is restricted, Chinese netizens create a special "free speech" through their creative and wild expression.
There are several resource links about Miao Ying's artworks and the reviews of art critics.
1. Miao Ying's personal page：
The dead pixel of my eyes.
2. Miao Ying's Newhive page,
This page is an online archive and museum of her artworks.
3. Rhizome's interview and artist profile of Miao Ying
Written by Iona Whittaker
4. VICE's review of Miao Ying's artworks
"The Untapped Creativity of the Chinese Internet"
Written by Ben Valentine
5. LEAP's review of Miao Ying's artworks
"Miao Ying and the First Generation of Chinese Net Art"
Written by Ophelia S. Chan
6. An academic analysis of the hybridity of Miao Ying's aesthetics.
Written by Ros Holmes
Also, it is recommended to visit Miao Ying's new artwork "Chintenet Plus" in the online exhibition program of net art in New Museum.
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