About MEY
MEY was born of the idea that contemporary art is a communal endeavor. That is, a living record of stories both familiar and unknown that is meant to be shared. We believe that art does not exist in a vacuum; rather, artworks and the stories they both possess and prompt increase in power as they are circulated. MEY aims to bring those passionate about art into a space where they feel empowered to engage earnestly with work being made by rising artists today.
Founded by two women determined to help dispel some of the art world’s elusivity, MEY seeks to build a community; a community that upholds the belief that art is inherently a series of exchanges—from artist to artwork, artwork to viewer, and so on. Fostering curiosity and connection, we ask: art is not sterile, so why should it be approached as such?
MEY/ می / joy / wine
When I was younger my dad would often recite several lines from a Rumi poem that he was taught to memorize as a young child growing up in Iran. Rumi wrote many poems about wine, and for the first few decades of his life, my father was under the impression that this Persian poet of legend was a drunk. Only later did he learn that the old Farsi word for “wine” was also used to mean “joy” and, in some interpretations, a greater connection with the universe.
In English, the passage goes something like, “I am amazed at these wine sellers, who sell wine. What can they buy with the money they receive that is better than wine?” If we switch the word wine with joy, we hear the following: “I am amazed at the people who sell joy. What can they buy with the money they receive that is better than joy?”
Our goal here is to create a marketplace of joy. You are welcome to come here just to feel it. Maybe bring it home with you. Definitely leave with a greater sense of connection.