Duff Woon Kee Yong’s “Mei Mei” In Charlotte’s Rowe Galleries
“Mei Mei 妹妹” is on view August 13 to September 19 in Rowe Galleries with a reception August 28. This exhibition is a tribute to the sisters the “Mei Mei 妹妹” who have lifted, shaped, and stood beside ookee throughout his unfolding path. While Mei Mei in Chinese traditionally means sister, this show embraces a broader meaning: a constellation of chosen sisters, nurturing spirits, and fierce allies whose love has left quiet yet indelible marks.
The works gathered here echo moments of mischief, care, resilience, and tenderness – qualities that sisters, in all their forms, so effortlessly embody. “Mei Mei” is not merely an offering of gratitude; it is a celebration of shared becoming. A space to honor those who saw beyond the surface, who understood that ookee was never just a doodle, but a living embodiment of love, connection, and kinship.
Raised in Singapore, Duff Woon Kee Yong (b. 1976) received his M.F.A in Computer Art with a focus on Motion Graphics in 2001 from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has been a professor of Motion Media Design at SCAD since the early 2000s and was the director of Mr. Beast Gallery, formerly located on Bull Street, between 2010-1. Yong has exhibited in Taiwan and Savannah and has collaborated with local artists on numerous street art projects.