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Artist Information

 

Owen Leong

Country(activity based)：
Australia
Genre：
Visual Art

Profile

An inter-disciplinary artist exploring race and transformation, Owen Leong works with photography, video and installation. His practice examines how the body is physically, socially and culturally framed. Leong has held residencies at Artspace, Sydney (2005), Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester (2005) and Cité des Arts, Paris (2007). His work has been exhibited widely in Australia and overseas including Chicago, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Auckland.

About works / performance

Recently, I have been creating a new series of photographs depicting contemporary Australian shapeshifters. Liminal beings appear to transform with their dark animal eyes, and faces that shimmer with wounds and tattoo-like markings.

Comment

These portraits explore how Australia, as a post-colonial space, in turn colonises its peoples' bodies and identities. My work evolves from the premise that identities are fluid and constantly changing, and uses the body and skin as a surface across which social and cultural forces are transmitted.

Website

http://www.owenleong.com
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