Career
He is known for his incorporation of Māori motifs such as the tiki. Ngan was born in Wellington in 1926, to Chinese parents, but calls himself "Pacific Chinese". He spent time in China before returning to New Zealand and then studying art in London.
He has been a significant presence in the New Zealand art scene, and was director of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts from 1976 to 1986.
In 2006 a major retrospective of his work was held at City Gallery Wellington. Ngan has lived in Stokes Valley since the 1950s.
He created the sculpture that resides at the entrance to Stokes Valley in 1976. In 2011, his sculpture, Elevating Worms, was installed outside the Scott Court shopping centre in Stokes Valley.
In the 1983 Queen"s Birthday Honours, Ngan was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the arts
He was inducted into the College of Creative Arts Toi Rauwharangi (Massey University) Hall of Fame in 2012.