A-Ma by Ethan Lan

At its heart, A-Ma is a portrait of Ethan Lan’s grandmother, created in the aftermath of his grandfather’s passing after sixty years of marriage. Through tender photographs of daily rituals and ordinary objects, Lan explores grief as it lingers in the details of domestic life. What begins as a family archive unfolds into a meditation on memory, resilience, and enduring love.

At once deeply personal and universally resonant, A-Ma is both a family archive and a meditation on resilience. Guided by a language of closeness, Lan’s photographs move beyond documentation. They become acts of listening—glimpses into the unspoken bonds between generations, the fragility of memory, and the enduring traces of love.

With A-Ma, Ethan Lan’s debut artist book, both the story and craft are celebrated – where the book itself becomes part of the story. Bound, trimmed, and finished by hand, each of the 60 editions carries traces of touch—mirroring the ways memory, grief, and love linger in the details of everyday life.

Publisher: Makan Press
Designer: Ethan Lan
Language: English
Illustrations: 48 full black & white images
Front & back cover screen-printed on linen
Edition of 60 + 3 AP