Xiao Wei is an incoming Ph.D. student in Art History, specializing in early modern to modern Japanese art. Her research centers on the intersection of art and gender, with a particular focus on the visual representation of women. She investigates how notions of femininity have been constructed and utilized within broader frameworks of nationhood, gender ideology, and individual identity. Her work engages with a diverse range of materials, including ukiyo-e, nihonga, photography, and magazine. Beyond Japan, Xiao is interested in gender issues across East Asia. Through the lens of art history, she explores how gender identity is shaped by intersecting factors such as class, race, and nation. She holds a B.A. in Art History from Brandeis University and an M.A. in Art History from the University of Chicago. Her working experiences include internships at Swann Auction Galleries (New York) and CC Art Foundation (Shanghai), as well as positions at the Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston), the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of Chicago.
The College of Arts