Born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in London, Mary Evans studied at the Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology before completing her postgraduate studies at Goldsmiths College. Her practice emerged in the 1990s, gaining recognition for its focus on the social and historical narratives embedded within the experience of the African diaspora.

Evans is best known for her intricate silhouettes cut from brown paper, a material she utilizes to evoke the aesthetics of shipping parcels and colonial-era documentation. Her work often transforms architectural spaces into immersive environments that address complex histories of movement and identity.

Her work has been featured in numerous international exhibitions and is held in various public collections. She continues to be recognized for her technical precision and her ability to engage with the politics of representation through the medium of paper.