BIO
Meng Meng de Souza, born in China, currently resides in Nassau, Bahamas, and Chicago, IL. Meng Meng is an architecture and furniture design student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, expecting to graduate in 2026. In recognition of her academic and artistic achievements at The Grier School, she was awarded the Merit Scholarship for 2022-2026 in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Meng Meng explores the relationship between function and form, fabricating designs that are simple and impactful to the human experience. Meng Meng enjoys focusing on the beauty clash of straightforwardness while implementing curvature form.
Artist Statement
In architecture and furniture design, I explore the relationship between form, function, and emotion. My designs are clean and functional without excessive accessories and gadgets. Visually, I am drawn to the contrast between simple, linear structures and abstracted curves, colliding with stability and movement. Beyond the flashiness, my goal is to design objects and structures that evoke a sense of spiritual calm in this fast-paced world we live in. I want to make pieces that invite moments of pause, reflection, and interaction within a space. Fabricating linear objects with their simple intersecting lines while another element is curved, creating a scene of disturbance in its simple frame, with a sense of movement. Allowing users to pause and reflect.
Drawing remains an essential part of my process, helping me visualize an abstract feeling and aesthetic pursuit. Using bright colors in my visionary drawings plays a crucial part in understanding the visual spirit/energy within my material expectations. My approach to developing a design is followed by the Double Diamond Design Process, which is discover, define, develop, and deliver. This cycle allows for constant reevaluation between concept and construction, where failures and adjustments help inform the final form. I blend traditional woodworking techniques with digital software (Rhino) and hand modeling, which helps refine my designs.