In 2014, the Women’s Museum in Bonn invited Bald Girls to participate in its comprehensive exhibition, “Single Moms and Their World.” Within the framework of this large-scale exhibition, Bald Girls curated an independent section titled “Bald Girls – Timelag” and specially invited Monica Merlin, who was then a researcher at the Tate Museum, to visit. At the time, Merlin was conducting research on contemporary Chinese feminist art and planned to write an academic article about Bald Girls.
Merlin was invited to attend the opening of “Bald Girls – Timelag” and hosted the Bald Girls – Artist Talk at the renowned Düsseldorf Art Academy. During this event, she engaged in in-depth discussions with the artists on the exhibition’s feminist themes, including the impact of China’s patriarchal system on single mothers and female independence, as well as how these social realities are reflected in artistic expression.
In addition to the curators and artists of the Bald Girls collective, the discussion was also attended by figures from the German art scene, bringing broader perspectives and depth to this cross-cultural dialogue.
Monica Merlin is Assistant Professor in the Art History Department of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar). With a background in Chinese Studies and Asian visual cultures, she worked in art galleries and museums in the UK and the PRC. Dr Merlin obtained her doctorate in Art History (Oxford University), and joined VCU in 2019 after having taught at the Birmingham School of Art (BCU) and Christie’s Education (University of Glasgow). Her main research rethinks and re-evaluates the practice of women artists in the PRC and Sinophone cultures with a focus on gender, feminism, activism, and intersectionality. Her publications are included in peer-reviewed journalsand edited volumes, she has contributed to encyclopedias and curatorial projects.
From left: Xiao Lu. Monic Merlin, Li Xinmo, Juan Xu, Jiny Lan
