Artist Statement
​Ming Qian (Henry) Wang was born on 21 February 2007 in Beijing, China. He moved to Vancouver, Canada at eleven. By five he had already begun drawing freely and discovered a natural talent that pulled him into the world of art and imagination.​​
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Henry in his own words:
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"From as early as time was memorialized, the idea of personifying the environment has always lingered in my consciousness. Whether it was a smokey street, soft beanbags, or the smell of cocoa beans in the coffee machine; all leaving the remnants of being human. Growing up in Beijing, China, everything was loud, rambunctious, and lively. It reminded me of how intense human interactions were, in a world so different from the west. My grandpa’s morning routine of waking us up at 6:30am sharp for his daily exercise; undoubtedly warm. These small rocks of memory on the large path of my creativity have become my stepping stone, delving into the early memories of feeling loved, confused, sadness, and despair. Vancouver shaped these experiences into nostalgia, often looking back on them to reminisce about the “good old times”, where art meant nothing more than a ballpoint pen on a piece of lined paper. I fell in love with the idea of absurdism, as actions such as moving and losing doubled in pace, my grasp on reality also lowered with said pace.
Through painting, I began wandering. Both mentally and physically, creating characters of my own imagination to reiterate and represent the void created by many, many incidents of my daily life. Colours; there, I was always bewildered by the sheer prominence that a colour could hold. Red for fury, blue for sadness, white for purity, and so on. Throughout my career, I have learnt to control and manipulate colours to work in my favour and take chances in prospering for every element of my work. Certain colours for absurdism, ones that have no purpose being layered together; when I fixated on a glimpse of a porcelain vase in the Forbidden City back in the old country, it was like opening a window to my rooted imagination: culture, adaptivity, relationships. Conjuring up imagery after imagery that depicts my life while referencing the greats like Plato and Camus, I reached what my work is primarily situated in now.
Idioms, phenomena, and vague imagery. Many of my paintings and installations primarily depend on these three ideals. Through form, composition, and configuration, I portray my work in a very specific way that captures both the essence of the material and the unseen forces beyond it; sometimes rational, sometimes not. Colour becomes more than just representation; it is a voice on how my imagination can be brought to life in specific terms that agree with my craft. Many of my installations also focus on the movement of the specific three-dimensional imagery I am trying to present; swift like dancers or body curvatures, they began to come alive in the realm of my own imagination. Form and expression are also found starkly in my films and photography as another way of expression. It has brought me the utmost joy when it comes to 1:1 representation of an event or person; from abstract video essays to memoirs to myself, I have learned to control the absurdity: writing love letters to my past self regarding all my experiences as a newcomer to this green world."
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This website contains a majority of Henry's works from 2020 to the present.
CV / Credentials
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Education and Training
2025-Present Carnegie Mellon University
2020-2025 British Columbia Creative Center
2020-2025 Point Grey Secondary School
Experience
2025- Present Marketing Assistant at The University Store CMU, Pittsburgh PA
2025- Present Event Coordinator at PASAGE Studios CMU, Pittsburgh PA
2025- Present Public Relations Chair at Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity CMU, Pittsburgh PA
2025-Present Part-time Junior Art Instructor at British Columbia Creative Center, Vancouver BC
2024- 2025 Art Teacher Assistant at ArtShu. Inc, Vancouver BC
2024- 2025 Point Grey Leadership Team, Vancouver BC
2024- 2025 Arts Of Our Community, Non-Profit Fundraisers, Vancouver, BC
2023-2025 Coaching for Special Olympics Basketball at Point Grey Secondary School, Vancouver BC
2023-2025 Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver BC
2023-2025 Service Student/ Peer tutor at Point Grey Secondary School, Vancouver BC
2023 Chinatown Food Distribution, Vancouver BC
2021-2022 Coaching at Empower Basketball Club, Vancouver BC
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Skills
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Languages
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English (Native Speaker, high level writing and documenting)
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Mandarin Chinese (Native Speaker, high level reading, fluent typewriter)
Artistic Skills
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Developed a wide range of studio practices including painting, mixed media, and experimental techniques across large and small formats
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Planned and prepared artwork for exhibitions, including concept development, layout decisions, framing, installation, and documentation
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Built cohesive visual narratives through thematic research, drafts, and iterative refinement of artistic ideas
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Managed time-intensive projects with consistent attention to detail, color, and form
Communication and Outreach
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Engaged with audiences, students, and collaborators through clear, approachable communication during gallery events and workshops
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Wrote marketing copy, captions, and promotional material to support exhibitions, programs, and student-focused initiatives
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Used social media and community outreach to increase visibility and participation for events and nonprofit projects
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Adapted communication style across teaching, customer-facing roles, and professional collaborations
Leadership and Teaching
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Mentored youth artists in structured lessons, demonstrations, critiques, and hands-on studio guidance
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Led or assisted in organizing community programs, workshops, and events for schools, nonprofits, and local art spaces
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Provided structured coaching in both artistic and athletic settings, supporting skill development and teamwork
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Took on leadership roles in school and community groups, helping plan, coordinate, and execute ongoing initiatives
Professional Experience
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Supported gallery exhibitions, nonprofit events, and public art programs through hands-on coordination, communication, and planning
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Worked with cultural organizations, studios, and schools to deliver workshops, community events, and youth programs
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Helped manage outreach efforts for fundraisers, art shows, and student-focused initiatives
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Collaborated with curators, instructors, and event teams to prepare spaces, handle logistics, and communicate with participants
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Adapted to both studio and administrative environments, balancing creative tasks with organizational responsibilities
Exhibitions
2025 “Friend of a Friend” Group Exhibition at The Frame Gallery, Pittsburgh PA
2025 “Threshold 18 — Metamorphosis” Solo Exhibition at JIG Space Gallery, Vancouver BC
2024 David Evans Scholarship Nominees Group Exhibition - New Arts Foundation of Vancouver, North Vancouver BC
2024 Point Grey Secondary School Art Exhibition, Vancouver BC
2023 “Peace of My Mind” Solo Exhibition at Lipont Gallery, Richmond BC
Achievements
2025 Point Grey Secondary Grad Class Valedictorian, Vancouver BC
2025 Point Grey Secondary Merit Award+Scholarship, Vancouver BC
2024 12th Youth World Cup Live Painting Competition - UNICEF- Auction Certificate, Vancouver BC
2024 12th Youth World Cup Live Painting Competition - UNICEF- First Place, Richmond BC
2024 David Evans Scholarship - New Arts Foundation of Vancouver, Vancouver BC
2024 Point Grey Excellence in Athletics Certificate Award, Vancouver BC
2023 11th Youth World Cup Live Painting Competition - UNICEF- First Place, Richmond BC
2023 Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award - Young Elite Vancouver, Vancouver BC
2023 Fine and Performing Arts Award - Point Grey Secondary School, Vancouver BC
Private Art Collection
“Sensory,” 2023 - Mr. Dario Meli, Vancouver BC
“An Unforgettable Memory,” 2023 - Mrs. Li Yu, Vancouver BC
“The Vision,” 2023 - Mr. Han Chang Qing, Shandong, China
“Swirly Sounding Body of Water,” 2023 - Mr. Chen Sheng Cheng, Richmond BC
“Snowfall,” 2022 - Mr. Liu Jiang Chuan, Coquitlam BC
“Forest Beneath the Clouds,” 2023 - Mr. Zheng Yong He, Richmond BC
“Cactus Face,” 2023 - Mr. Yang Hong Peng, Vancouver BC
“Blue road And Natural Fantasy,“ 2020 - Ms Tracy Li, Vancouver BC
“Freshly Painted Red,” 2022 - Mr. Zhang Guang Hui, Richmond BC
“Vineyard,” 2023 - Mr. Bai Ji Ping, Mission BC
“Red Brick Wall,” 2023 - Mr. Liu Chao Fang, Vancouver BC
“Instructor in the Top Hat,” 2023 - Mr. Shawn He, Richmond BC
“Spirits And Red Chair,” 2023 - Mr. William Ma, Vancouver BC
Bibliography And Press
2024 BCBUSINESS, Giving It Away: Philanthropy is alive and well in BC, p.54, Print, Magazine
2023 Hui, Vikki. Richmond News, Online
2023 City of Richmond, Community and Culture, Online
https://www.richmond.ca/culture/calendar/search/Event.aspx?EventID=15788,
2023 He, Shawn. Foreword, “Peace of My Mind,” Print
2023 Ticar, Jay. Afterword, “Peace of My Mind,” Print
2023 Global News, Event, Online
https://globalnews.ca/event/9978279/peace-of-my-mind/
2023 Georgia Straight, Online
2023 BC Creative Center, “Peace of My Mind,” Print, Online
https://www.bccreativecenter.com/events
2023 Lipond Gallery, Online