Marisa Mu
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Marisa Mu is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice centers figurative watercolor and painting as a space for radical visibility, tenderness, and self determination. Based between Melbourne and New York, Mu explores queer expression, intersectional feminism, the Asian diaspora, and body liberation through intimate works that foreground embodied presence and joy.
Grounded in lived experience as a queer woman of color, Mu approaches representation as both inquiry and refusal, using the figure to hold complexity rather than stereotype. Her paintings often celebrate liberated bodies in motion, pairing softness and immediacy with a clear political charge around agency, pleasure, and belonging.
Marisa Mu is a leading interdisciplinary artist whose practice redefines contemporary figurative painting through the lenses of radical visibility, tenderness, and self-determination. Splitting her time between Melbourne and New York, Mu’s work explores the intersections of queer expression, intersectional feminism, the Asian diaspora, and body liberation. Her figurative watercolor paintings are celebrated for their ability to foreground embodied presence and unapologetic joy.
Grounded in her lived experience as a queer woman of color, Mu utilizes the human figure to hold complexity and resist cultural stereotypes. Her visual language is deeply informed by her East Timorese Hakka Chinese heritage and the nuances of diasporic memory. By pairing soft, fluid brushwork with a joyful figures, her original artworks investigate themes of agency, pleasure, and collective belonging. Mu’s paintings function as a form of truth-telling, offering imagery that affirms resilience and intimacy as active, transformative forces.
Beyond her studio practice, Marisa Mu is a prominent figure in the movement for cultural equity within the global art market. As the co-founder of Tits & Co., she has built an influential platform dedicated to challenging art world hierarchies and elevating female and gender-expansive artists. Through this initiative, she amplifies the voices of LGBTQIA+, migrant, and refugee artists, positioning contemporary art as a vital infrastructure for social advocacy.
Mu’s rapidly ascending trajectory has been marked by prestigious milestones, including being named Emerging Artist of the Year (2019). She holds a Bachelor of Design from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and has expanded her practice through international artist residencies. In 2025, Mu achieved significant international acclaim with a landmark solo presentation at New York City’s Gracie Mansion during Pride season, cementing her status as a vital voice in international contemporary art.
Her work continues to build inclusive spaces where marginalized bodies are centered with clarity, beauty, and a defiant, celebratory presence.
Solo Exhibitions
2024
- Reclaiming Space, Machine Hall, Sydney, NSW
- Up With the Clouds, Leda Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
- With Pleasure, At The Above, Melbourne, VIC
- For Our Collective Future, Gorman Arts Centre, Canberra, ACT
- 2023 The Hysterical Self Love Project That Everyone Is Invited to, Leda Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
2022
- To Be Alone and Naked, At The Above, Melbourne, VIC
- The Power of Womxn, RED Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2021
- Block Party for Love, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2020
- Visions of Love, FortyFive Downstairs, Melbourne, VIC
- Wonder Women, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2019
- Kaleidoscope Dancers, Wedge Gallery, Sydney Town Hall, NSW
2018
- Marisa Mu, King of The Jungle, Sydney, NSW
- 2017
- The Statement Makers, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Rhythm in Colour, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney.NSW
Select Group Exhibitions
2024
- YES Exhibition, aMBUSH Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Fever Pitch, Flatiron Project Space, NY, New York
- Abstraction, curated by Elle Zoltak, Compendium Contemporary, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair, Melbourne, VIC
- Dream Sweet, Honey Bones Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- LOCALS, Outre Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- In Homage, Divisions Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair Brisbane, QLD
- The Affordable Art Fair, Sydney, NSW
2023
- Hosterium, curated by ArtHouse Selective, Waxflower, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair, Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Sydney NSW
- A Female Gaze curated bv Andy Dinan, MARS Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- GATHER | TOGETHER, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, TAS
- Universal Love Languages, Sketch Gallery, The Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, NSW
- LOCALS, Outre Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- Life in Colour, Sketch Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Decks for Change curated by Kirby Clarke, No-Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2022
- Gather curated by Georgina Arnott, Sketch Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Continuum curated by Jessica Dang, The Meat Market, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Sydney, NSW
- The Other Art Fair New York
- The Other Art Fair Melbourne, VIC
- For the Deckade, Backwoods Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- Taking Up Space curated by Bo Bickmore and Variation Three, The Meat Market, Melbourne, VIC
- Secret Art Show curated by Zoe Milah DeJesus, Melbourne, VIC
- LOCALS, Outre Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- Towards Utopia curated by Bethany Fincher, Saatchi Art, Los Angeles, CA
2021
- QUEER VOICES curated by Joseph Romano, Melbourne Fashion Week Capsule, Melbourne, VIC
- PRIDE curated by Saatchi Art, William Vale, New York
- The Other Art Fair, Sydney, NSW
2020
- Dancing Queens curated by Midsumma Festival, SoHigh Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2019
- My Two Cents, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Los Angeles
- The Other Art Fair New York
- The Other Art Fair Sydney, NSW
- The Other Art Fair Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Sydney, NSW
2018
- Colours Are All I Feel curated by B.T.W., Commune Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Orbital Hybridisation curated by Uncast, Usfin Atelier, Sydney, NSW
- All Bodies curated by Anthony Sakr, Farr Side Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- The Epitome of Her-O curated by Marisa Mu &Simone Taylor, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Awards and Residencies
2024
- Artist-In-Residence, School of Visual Arts, NY, NY
- Artist-In-Residence, Lake View Hall, Lake View, SA
- Artist-In-Residence, Gorman Arts Centre, Canberra, ACT
- Finalist, Blacktown City Arts Prize, Sydney, NSW
2023
- Finalist, Blacktown City Arts Prize, Sydney, NSW
2022
- Finalist, Bluethumb Arts Prize, Melbourne, VIC
2021
- Artist-In-Residence, At The Above, Melbourne
2019
- Winner of The Emerging Artist of The Year, FortyFive Downstairs, Melbourne, VIC
- Finalist, Small Works Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2018
- Finalist, Little Things Art Prize, Saint Cloche Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2018
- Artist-In-Residence, Ganyula Studio, Florence, IT
2013
- Winner of Designer Rugs Award, College of Fine Arts, Sydney, NSW
Marisa Mu is a leading interdisciplinary artist whose practice redefines contemporary figurative painting through the lenses of radical visibility, tenderness, and self-determination. Splitting her time between Melbourne and New York, Mu’s work explores the intersections of queer expression, intersectional feminism, the Asian diaspora, and body liberation. Her figurative watercolor paintings are celebrated for their ability to foreground embodied presence and unapologetic joy.
Grounded in her lived experience as a queer woman of color, Mu utilizes the human figure to hold complexity and resist cultural stereotypes. Her visual language is deeply informed by her East Timorese Hakka Chinese heritage and the nuances of diasporic memory. By pairing soft, fluid brushwork with a joyful figures, her original artworks investigate themes of agency, pleasure, and collective belonging. Mu’s paintings function as a form of truth-telling, offering imagery that affirms resilience and intimacy as active, transformative forces.
Beyond her studio practice, Marisa Mu is a prominent figure in the movement for cultural equity within the global art market. As the co-founder of Tits & Co., she has built an influential platform dedicated to challenging art world hierarchies and elevating female and gender-expansive artists. Through this initiative, she amplifies the voices of LGBTQIA+, migrant, and refugee artists, positioning contemporary art as a vital infrastructure for social advocacy.
Mu’s rapidly ascending trajectory has been marked by prestigious milestones, including being named Emerging Artist of the Year (2019). She holds a Bachelor of Design from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and has expanded her practice through international artist residencies. In 2025, Mu achieved significant international acclaim with a landmark solo presentation at New York City’s Gracie Mansion during Pride season, cementing her status as a vital voice in international contemporary art.
Her work continues to build inclusive spaces where marginalized bodies are centered with clarity, beauty, and a defiant, celebratory presence.
Solo Exhibitions
2024
- Reclaiming Space, Machine Hall, Sydney, NSW
- Up With the Clouds, Leda Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
- With Pleasure, At The Above, Melbourne, VIC
- For Our Collective Future, Gorman Arts Centre, Canberra, ACT
- 2023 The Hysterical Self Love Project That Everyone Is Invited to, Leda Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
2022
- To Be Alone and Naked, At The Above, Melbourne, VIC
- The Power of Womxn, RED Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2021
- Block Party for Love, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2020
- Visions of Love, FortyFive Downstairs, Melbourne, VIC
- Wonder Women, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2019
- Kaleidoscope Dancers, Wedge Gallery, Sydney Town Hall, NSW
2018
- Marisa Mu, King of The Jungle, Sydney, NSW
- 2017
- The Statement Makers, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Rhythm in Colour, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney.NSW
Select Group Exhibitions
2024
- YES Exhibition, aMBUSH Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Fever Pitch, Flatiron Project Space, NY, New York
- Abstraction, curated by Elle Zoltak, Compendium Contemporary, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair, Melbourne, VIC
- Dream Sweet, Honey Bones Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- LOCALS, Outre Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- In Homage, Divisions Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair Brisbane, QLD
- The Affordable Art Fair, Sydney, NSW
2023
- Hosterium, curated by ArtHouse Selective, Waxflower, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair, Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Sydney NSW
- A Female Gaze curated bv Andy Dinan, MARS Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- GATHER | TOGETHER, Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, TAS
- Universal Love Languages, Sketch Gallery, The Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, NSW
- LOCALS, Outre Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- Life in Colour, Sketch Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Decks for Change curated by Kirby Clarke, No-Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2022
- Gather curated by Georgina Arnott, Sketch Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Continuum curated by Jessica Dang, The Meat Market, Melbourne, VIC
- The Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Sydney, NSW
- The Other Art Fair New York
- The Other Art Fair Melbourne, VIC
- For the Deckade, Backwoods Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- Taking Up Space curated by Bo Bickmore and Variation Three, The Meat Market, Melbourne, VIC
- Secret Art Show curated by Zoe Milah DeJesus, Melbourne, VIC
- LOCALS, Outre Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- Towards Utopia curated by Bethany Fincher, Saatchi Art, Los Angeles, CA
2021
- QUEER VOICES curated by Joseph Romano, Melbourne Fashion Week Capsule, Melbourne, VIC
- PRIDE curated by Saatchi Art, William Vale, New York
- The Other Art Fair, Sydney, NSW
2020
- Dancing Queens curated by Midsumma Festival, SoHigh Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2019
- My Two Cents, No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Los Angeles
- The Other Art Fair New York
- The Other Art Fair Sydney, NSW
- The Other Art Fair Melbourne, VIC
- The Other Art Fair Sydney, NSW
2018
- Colours Are All I Feel curated by B.T.W., Commune Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- Orbital Hybridisation curated by Uncast, Usfin Atelier, Sydney, NSW
- All Bodies curated by Anthony Sakr, Farr Side Gallery, Sydney, NSW
- The Epitome of Her-O curated by Marisa Mu &Simone Taylor, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Awards and Residencies
2024
- Artist-In-Residence, School of Visual Arts, NY, NY
- Artist-In-Residence, Lake View Hall, Lake View, SA
- Artist-In-Residence, Gorman Arts Centre, Canberra, ACT
- Finalist, Blacktown City Arts Prize, Sydney, NSW
2023
- Finalist, Blacktown City Arts Prize, Sydney, NSW
2022
- Finalist, Bluethumb Arts Prize, Melbourne, VIC
2021
- Artist-In-Residence, At The Above, Melbourne
2019
- Winner of The Emerging Artist of The Year, FortyFive Downstairs, Melbourne, VIC
- Finalist, Small Works Art Prize, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2018
- Finalist, Little Things Art Prize, Saint Cloche Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2018
- Artist-In-Residence, Ganyula Studio, Florence, IT
2013
- Winner of Designer Rugs Award, College of Fine Arts, Sydney, NSW