Situated on the rear of the restored Regent Theatre in Geelong, Migrant, mother, sister activates a once forgotten corner of Union Street.
This permanent commission by the City of Greater Geelong, (2025) delivered through the Women in Street Art program, highlights the gender imbalance in society, touching on the depths of motherhood, generational care and domestic labour, work that is often unseen and undervalued.
The central figure of a mother carrying her daughter through water symbolises both the nearby Corio Bay and the act of migration across waters.
A deeply personal work, the piece reflects the artist Jaz’s family story of migration from Hong Kong. Integrated lights illuminate the artwork each night, referencing Hong Kong’s iconic nightscape. The bespoke integrated neon lights reads “Thank you” and “You are seen” in both Chinese and English, offering visibility, both literal and figurative, to the surrounding community.
MIGRANT,
MOTHER,
SISTER.
Many thanks to The City of Greater Geelong for this wonderful and inspiring project, the public art officer Katharine Oliver who I worked closely with to make this a reality, the fabricators Custom Neon, and electrical team at Lifestyle Electrical and the Traditional Owners, the Wadawurrung People of the land on which this installation is created on. Thank you to Henry Johnson (@discourse_cc) for the footage and photos. It was an honour to be able to bring my personal story and highlight the vibrant Geelong community in this work.