Mariah Solikin
Biography:
Mariah Solikin born in Bandung, Indonesia, and raised in Singapore, Mariah has lived in Hong Kong for 25 years. While the Covid lockdowns rekindled her passion for painting, she is a primarily self-taught artist working in acrylics and watercolours. She uses these mediums to explore diverse styles, thoughts, and emotions. Mariah’s current work incorporates word art, geometric shapes, lines, movements, abstractions, Chinese characters, and everyday objects to convey her perspective on connections, culture, humour, family, and love.
Her style is defined by precision and pure colour: a blend of Western and Eastern influences that captures depth, texture, emotion, effort, patience, and the passage of time. Often accompanied by her own poetry, Mariah’s paintings represent a journey of self-discovery shaped by her life across three countries. Many of her work highlights the inherent contradictions and paradoxes of the human experience, reflecting her personal perspective and her way of embracing both the complexity and simplicity of life.
Mariah reached a significant milestone in 2025 when her painting ‘Surge’ was selected for the London Art Biennale. Her work was one of approximately 350 pieces curated for the exhibition from more than 10,000 international submissions.
Exhibitions & Art Fairs:
Voice of Art 6: Pause to Begin by Be One Gallery, ION Art Gallery, ION Orchard, Singapore, 26 May – 1 June 2026
The Heritage & Culture Community Gallery Wall by Art Future Club, AIA Carnival, Hong Kong, Jan 2026
Artist Interview, Asian Art Contemporary, New York, Dec 2025
City Art Fair Hong Kong, Mandarin Hotel, 28-30 Nov 2025
Geo A Day, Geometricae Geometric Abstract Art Magazine, Spain, Nov 2025
Culture Magazine HK Issue 250, A Mobile Art Living Room! Nov 2025
London Art Biennale, 16-20 Jul 2025
Honorable Mention, Circle Foundation for the Arts’, Contest for Group Show in New York, USA, July 2025
Artist Closeup Magazine #32, Jul 2025
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong, 22-25 May 2025
Women Artists on the Rise, Art to Hearts Project, Dec 2024
Honorable Mention Award, 8th Color Int’l Online Juried Art Competition, Teravarna, Sept 2024
Finalist, 9th Annual Waterscapes Online Juried Art Exhibition, Fusion Art, Aug 2024
Statement:
“The Rhythm of Paradox
My practice is defined by the tension between the structured and the fluid, a visual language born from a life lived across the cultural landscapes of Indonesia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. I work primarily in acrylics and watercolors, utilizing precision and pure colour to navigate the inherent contradictions of the human experience: the way life can be simultaneously chaotic and simple, or deeply traditional yet modern.
I view my paintings and my poetry as two halves of a single conversation. While my brush explores geometric shapes, movement, and the weight of Chinese characters, my words provide the narrative pulse. This intersection allows me to investigate the paradox of connection, how we find simple beauty in the mundane and depth in the fleeting passage of time.
By layering abstractions with everyday objects, I aim to capture the texture of effort and the essence of patience. Each piece is a journey of self-discovery, inviting the viewer to sit with the complexities of love, family, and identity, and to find harmony within the contradictions that define us”.
