Cognizance

Paintings by Mercedes Nok Yi Ng • Exhibit runs from August 13th to October 6th 2022

ARTIST STATEMENT: Cognizance is a series of paintings that explore my identity as a “Hong Konger” and a commentary on the unsettling situation of my home. In this series, the seemingly colorful and playful tones are a product of the memories I hold, mingled with the feelings of what my home has now become. Old restaurants, street markets, newspaper stands, neon signs, busy roads. These are all commonplace in Hong Kong, but also stand as symbols to politically sensitive events that have happened over the recent years. Imagining people under such political instabilities, many of them forced to censor themselves and cloak their true beliefs. Eventually, someone as modest as a fruit seller may need to seek cover behind a painted mask, much like actors in the Cantonese opera; or see themselves disappear entirely. The purpose of this exhibition is to give tribute to the millions of hard-working individuals in Hong Kong who have made this city flourish in the past decades. While at the same time, remaining cognizant to their everyday realities.

ARTIST BIO: Mercedes Ng is an oil painter who lives and works in Salt Lake City, Utah. A native Hong Konger, her vibrant and cheerful paintings pay special tribute to her homeland. From bustling malls to jam-packed street markets, Hong Kong is known for its many crowds. Her paintings often involve cityscapes and still life, which are intentionally lacking in population. By portraying her home in this manner, her objective is to create superficially playful stories tinted with a sense of forsaken uncanniness. Mercedes was educated at the University of Utah and later finished her Bachelor of Arts at Brigham Young University in 2020. She has recently been selected as a recipient for two grants. One from “New Beehive” project as well as the “I Am” initiative which is organized by the Center for LDS Arts. Her works have been and are scheduled to be shown in exhibitions in the U.S., Hong Kong, and Ireland.
More info can be found at her website/Instagram: mercedesng.com / @mercedesng_art