Atong Atem is a South Sudanese contemporary artist, born in Ethiopia, who lives and works in Naarm/Melbourne. Working primarily in photography, video and textiles, Atem explores migrant narratives and postcolonial practices in the African diaspora, the relationship between public and private spaces, and the exploration of home and identity through portraiture.
Atem’s family emigrated to NSW’s Central Coast from South Sudan in 1997 when she was six years old. Living in Melbourne since 2014, Atem’s work speaks to her sense of belonging and connection to her community in Australia and beyond.
In her portraits, in which she often depicts herself, Atem pushes against the impact of ethnographic photography and the images that defined representation from the 19th century onwards. Instead, Atong looks to the studio portraiture of mid-20th-century African photographers such as Malick Sidibé and Seydou Keïta, for whom the medium provided a powerful means of resistance.
Referencing these photographers’ dynamic and vibrant compositions, as well as South Sudanese Dinka culture, Atem extends a lineage of photographic work that celebrated their subjects and returned agency to them. As she has said, ‘I’m interested in the moment in history when black people took the camera and chose to photograph ourselves for ourselves’.
Purchased with funds provided by the Annual Appeal 2025
© Atong Atem
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