Cover image via Red Hong Yi (Provided to SAYS)Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Malaysian artist Red Hong Yi is holding a deeply personal exhibition in Penang this Mother's Day, exploring the parts of motherhood people don't always talk about
Titled I'm a Mum?!, the exhibition looks at the exhaustion, identity shifts, repetitive routines, emotional messiness, and often unseen realities of motherhood.
The exhibition will run from 10 May to 12 July 2026 at Cultprint in George Town, Penang.
Known for turning everyday objects into massive artworks and installations, Red Hong Yi's latest body of work was created during her pregnancy and the early days after giving birth
One of the main highlights is a series of 30 embroidered pieces made during the first 30 days of her confinement period.
Instead of documenting motherhood in a polished or idealised way, the artworks capture the repetitive blur many new mums know all too well: feeding, carrying, waking up, repeating, then somehow doing it all again the next day.
There's also a bed installation recreating the isolating rhythm of confinement, body imprints from pregnancy, and artworks made using parts from a child's high chair, which reflect the louder, messier chaos of caregiving.
Red Hong Yi shared that she wanted to move away from the "soft-focus, perfect photograph" version of motherhood often seen online.
"I wanted to show the reality of it: the joy and the tears, the overwhelming love and complex emotions existing in the exact same breath," she said.
She also spoke about the physical and emotional changes that came with childbirth, including "the folds, bumps, and stretches" she had never seen on her body before, and the struggle of figuring out her identity after becoming a mother
"My hope is that mothers walk in and recognise themselves and feel seen. If one mother feels less alone because of these pieces, then it would make me feel all this work was worth it," the artist added.
If you've followed Red Hong Yi's work before, you'll probably know her for creating large-scale installations using unexpected materials like chopsticks, matchsticks, tea bags, and buttons.
Her work has been shown internationally at places including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Saatchi Gallery in London, and the National Art Gallery of Malaysia.
The exhibition opens on 10 May, which also happens to be Mother's Day, making the timing feel extra fitting
The exhibition is free to enter and open Fridays to Sundays from 12pm to 7pm.
Exhibition details
Date:
10 May – 12 July 2026
Time:
12pm – 7pm (Friday – Sunday)
Venue:
35 Lebuh Melayu, George Town, Penang
