About
I am an art historian by training, and a former consultant for UNESCO in the field of cultural heritage protection, specifically the trafficking of art and antiquities.
My practice looks at the role of material culture in contemporary life. The idea of an ordinary object holding extraordinary meaning first piqued my curiosity as a child, when I encountered the piles of random objects that my father had meticulously hoarded. Today, my paintings combine such trivial and lowbrow items with narratives rooted in art history and cultural heritage. Through the genres of still life and the domestic, I hope to honour the importance of personal, intergenerational and third culture memories and emotions. This became the basis of my first series, "Home Sweet Home".
My latest series, "A Room of One's Own", was named after the 1929 essay by the English writer Virginia Woolf. I’m curious about the personal spaces that great women artists carved out for themselves, the belongings they chose to bring into their lives, and the beauty and simplicity of the everyday life they led. This series was also inspired by Louise Bourgeois' idea of the Femme Maison and questions of female identity in the domestic and working spheres.
I am currently working on a series provisionally titled "Lucky You", which builds on my recent research about classical Chinese porcelain wares. Imperial Chinese motifs that grew out of feng shui beliefs, superstitions, and wishes for luck and fortune have evolved to become part-and-parcel of the everyday furnishings of the Chinese diaspora. Now often sidelined in favour of Western-style furnishings, these mun shou teacups and decorative peach or dragon vases are still rich in meaning, and represent the existential hopes and desires of older generations.

Born in London, UK
Currently lives and works in Hong Kong
Education
2010 BA (Hons) History of Art, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Lucky You, Touch Gallery, Hong Kong
2023 A Room of One’s Own, Touch Gallery, Hong Kong
Group Exhibitions
2025 Collect Hong Kong, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
2024 A Quiet Room, A Place in Your Heart, WOAW Gallery, Singapore
2022 ASYAAF, Gallery LVS, Seoul, South Korea
2008 HIATUS, Courtauld Institute of Art, London, UK
2004 YOUNG@ART, Firstsite @ The Minories, Colchester, UK
Awards
2023 Shortlisted for the Hari Art Prize, Hong Kong
2009 John Hayes Scholarship, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
2006 Prince’s Drawing School (now the Royal Drawing School) Scholarship, London
2004 Young Essex Artist, Firstsite @ The Minories, Colchester, UK
Selected Press
RTHK CultureZine | Podcast: Marian Ang - Contemporary Artist | May 2024
RTHK Vibrant Hong Kong | TV interview: Episode 53 (Olympic Games/ Affordable Art Fair/ Lo Pan Temple) | May 2024
Hoy International Business | TV interview: Affordable Art Fair Inspires Artists and Art Collectors | May 2024
Cathay | Hong Kong | Painting the Town: Artist Highlights | May 2024
Harper’s Bazaar SG | Things to do in Singapore this weekend: 24 to 26 May | May 2024
Shenzhen Weekly | Affordable Art Fair(艺博会) | May 2024
Ming’s | ART | MARIAN ANG | May 2024
Home Journal | 香港Affordable Art Fair : 本地藝術家引起關注 | April 2024
Mindly.Journal | Affordable Art Fair 2024 | 首次藝術收藏者必去展覽 | April 2024
Galleries Gal | Marian Ang: A Room of One’s Own at Touch Gallery | Oct 2023