Australian Tapestry Workshop

Atong Atem

Australia

Atong Atem is a South Sudanese artist who was born in Ethiopia and migrated to Australia as a child. With an ongoing interest in portraiture, Atem uses photography to explore and examine postcolonial practices among the African diaspora in Melbourne. Many of her photographs take the form of self-portraits and portraits of friends, as well as installation and video works exploring migrant stories, cultures and identities.

In 2021, support for Weaving Futures from Creative Victoria and the Playking Foundation brought tapestry designs by artists Atong Atem, Troy Emery, Eugenia Lim and Hayley Millar Baker onto our looms. ATW weavers Pamela Joyce, Emma Sulzer, Tim Gresham, and Amy Cornall collaborated with these artists, working at the forefront of Australian contemporary art practice.