A Studio Visit with Marisa Mu

One of the most in-demand items at The Print Bar in recent months has been the exclusively designed t-shirt by interdisciplinary artist Maria Mu for Dangerous Females, which debuted at The Other Art Fair. Based in Naarm/Melbourne, Marisa is gearing up to make the move to New York City in the coming months and recently we were lucky enough to pay her a visit in her artists studio in Fitzroy North.

Marisa Mu is known for her striking and expressive artwork, which explores themes of empowerment, identity, and resilience. Drawing from her Hakka Chinese and East Timorese heritage, her art is deeply personal yet universally resonant, weaving together history, activism, and lived experience. Marisa’s designs often carry a strong message, making her the dream partner for this collaboration with Dangerous Females. This exclusive T-shirt captures her signature aesthetic while reinforcing a powerful statement about the importance of female empowerment and standing up against gender based violence.

This initiative is close to our hearts at The Print Bar. By wearing this T-shirt, supporters are not only showcasing incredible art and supporting a local artist but also standing in solidarity with survivors and advocates working to create a safer world.

By wearing this tee you’re not just making a statement, you’re carrying a story and we love this story! We spoke with Marisa recently and had a few burning questions about her inspirations, her practice and what’s next for this incredibly talented artist.

What three words would you use to describe your art and yourself?

Three words that I would use are resilient, colourful and altruistic

How would you describe your artmaking process?

I’m an intuitive painter so I don’t actually plan my paintings. I kind of let it just come out of me. Often with the figurative paintings (seen on the Dangerous Females collab tee) the most important thing for me is representation. Having a beautiful balance of body types and also skin tones is really important to me. That’s usually the driving force behind how I approach my works.

Who are your biggest influences?

My biggest muse is my mum, she is the absolute light of my life. She passed away when I was 19 and she was a refugee and a self taught painter. A lot of the reasoning behind why I do what I do is for her and also for the matriarchs in my family because they were never given an opportunity to have a sense of a community or even like the ability to do what they wanted to do in their life outside of being confined by the cards that they were dealt. I’ve acknowledged my privilege being Australian and so I’m honouring that. This is for all the matriarchs out there.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Fundamentally I find inspiration through what a lot of artists find inspiration through, which is their lived experience. I am a queer woman of colour and so forefronting community is absolutely paramount to me and bringing visibility and agency to people is what drives me to do what I do. I know it’s not a very common thing to see a queer woman of colour leaning into their arts practice, especially with the trajectory that I am going in but I feel like me being honest as I have been and as committed to my practice as I have been… I think it shows, you know?

How can we use art to advance society or affect societal issues?

I think what’s going on a lot right now is the censorship of artists and I think that it is just the bare minimum of being a person of integrity whereas whether you are an artist or not, is to do the right thing. So I think that for me, my channel and my voice is through my art whether it’s my painting or my spoken words or advocacy through grassroots events. I think that the message is to do the right thing.

Tell us about your upcoming move to NYC?

This has been a lifelong dream of mine. I’m in my mid-30’s now and have been a full time practicing artist for seven years and my entire life has been (working) to be a practicing artist in New York City. I feel like for me coming to a point in my career where I acquired the O1 artist visa – I think for the first time in my life actually I’ve realised how far I’ve come for myself and also you know, in honour of my mum. This is a really exciting chapter that I’m about to embark on and I feel like the community in New York City is unlike anywhere else I’ve been. The diversity is just unbelievable and I feel very seen and safe there and I’m super excited to see what this chapter’s gonna bring for me.

What advice would you give your younger self?

That you’ve got it. Yeah.

You’ve donated your art to be sold as a T-shirt to raise money for Dangerous Females. How can we support Marisa Mu in return?

The thing that I consistently talk about is to support living artists. Look into artists that you know, you believe in and that you resonate with their story and what they’re doing and if you want to support me, you can find my website or you can support my journey in New York City at my Instagram @marisa.mu

How You Can Get Involved

Getting involved is simple. The limited-edition T-shirt is available exclusively through the Dangerous Females online store. Every purchase directly supports Dangerous Females in their mission to combat gender-based violence. Additionally, we encourage supporters to share their photos wearing the T-shirt on social media, tag @marisa.mu, @theprintbar and @dangerousfemales, to amplify the message and spread awareness. Join us in standing with survivors, supporting vital services, and using fashion as a force for good. Shop the exclusive Marisa Mu x Dangerous Females T-shirt today!