Hong Kong artist Marian Ang explores motherhood and family legacies in new exhibition
‘No Man’s Land’ reflects how Marian Ang feels about motherhood, as viewed through paintings about her grandmother, family items and more
For Marian Ang, becoming a first-time parent and transforming fully into a “mother” were two entirely different experiences. It was the birth of her second son about a year ago that prompted the artist to truly think about what it means to be a mother, as well as the legacies passed down through the women in her family.
The title of her solo exhibition, “No Man’s Land”, reflects how she feels about motherhood.
“You are in this limbo of what society expects of you as a woman and as a mother, this very world that only other women understand.”
The artworks on display at Hart Haus – ranging from paintings and sculptures to fabric art – were completed during the past year, when Ang took part in a residency programme at the non-profit arts space in Kennedy Town, on Hong Kong Island.
Ang visited Asia for the first time when she was 18, and it was from her grandmother in Singapore – who turned 100 in 2025 – that she learned a lot about her family history.