Clad in warped mirrors, AMO's “True Me” exhibition in Beijing reflects on selfie culture

The new AMO-designed “True Me” exhibition dives into contemporary selfie culture with a vibrant, funhouse-like setup. Currently at Beijing's 798 Art Factory through August 14, the event is AMO's first exhibition design in China.

With OMA Partner and Asia Director Chris van Duijn as design lead, the exhibition explores different possible forms of self-representation through art and media.

Celebrating the new logo launch of photo app developer Meitu, the exhibition continues AMO's investigations into visual culture and the translations of their research into staged spaces — like fashion runway show sets, retail interiors, and exhibition designs like “True Me”. Meitu and the Beijing Contemporary Arts Foundation jointly organized the exhibition.

Visitors are welcomed into a central corridor surrounded by curved, warped mirrors that reflect the “hard reality” of the outer self, AMO describes.

The mirror-cladded space leads into six colorful soft zones (made of grass, flannel, and felt) that display the “inner self”, which takes visitors on a visual journey of contemporary artworks and performances.

Featured artists and photographers include Chen Tianzhuo, Hou Ying, Lu Yang, Maleonn, Xie Haiwei, Ye Funa, teamLab, and Theodore Bradley.

“The Meitu app enables its 1 billion users to retouch their selfie images, producing highly beautified, new expressions of the self. The contradiction between this post-produced outer self and raw inner self forms the concept for the design of the exhibition spaces,” AMO says.