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‘William Yang: Seeing and Being Seen’
Mar 2021 - Aug 2021

William Yang’s Self portrait #5 2008, printed 2020, installed for installed for ‘Seeing and Being Seen’, QAG, April 2021 / Gift of the artist through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation 2022. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program / © William Yang / Photograph: J Ruckli, QAGOMA

Queensland-born, Sydney-based photographer William Yang’s significant contribution to Australian photography spans five decades. Known for his reflective and joyous depictions of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ scene in the late 70s and 80s through to the present. Yang’s photography is informed by the cultural and political pressures of growing up as a gay man from a Chinese immigrant family in north Queensland.

This exhibition is a major survey of Yang’s work, which traces his career from documentary photography through to explorations of cultural and sexual identities and his depictions of landscape. Yang integrates a photographic practice with writing, video and performance.

In this resource, find out more about works from the QAGOMA Collection featured in the exhibition, or explore the full exhibition catalogue. 

‘William Yang: Seeing and Being Seen’ was on display at QAG from 27 March to 22 August 2021.


Feature image: William Yang’s Self portrait #5 2008, printed 2020, installed for installed for ‘Seeing and Being Seen’, QAG, April 2021 / Gift of the artist through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation 2022. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program / © William Yang / Photograph: J Ruckli, QAGOMA

Collection artworks featured in ‘William Yang: Seeing and Being Seen’

Artwork "Father." Cairns, 1920's. P.U. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Father." Cairns, 1920's. P.U. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother. Cairns, 1930's." Photographer unknown. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother. Cairns, 1930's." Photographer unknown. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Frances, Alan and me at our house on the farm." Dimbulah 1950's. Photo: Charlie Young. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Frances, Alan and me at our house on the farm." Dimbulah 1950's. Photo: Charlie Young. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Family group. Dimbulah." Late 50's. Photo: Charlie Young. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Family group. Dimbulah." Late 50's. Photo: Charlie Young. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "William, Father, Mother." Graceville, Brisbane. 1974. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"William, Father, Mother." Graceville, Brisbane. 1974. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Ung See Wing." Cairns, 1920's. P.U. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Ung See Wing." Cairns, 1920's. P.U. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Aunt Bessie and my Mother." Cairns. 1930. Photographer unknown. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Aunt Bessie and my Mother." Cairns. 1930. Photographer unknown. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Family. Graceville. 1970." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Family. Graceville. 1970." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "House at Graceville." Brisbane. 1970. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"House at Graceville." Brisbane. 1970. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother, Brisbane, 1979." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother, Brisbane, 1979." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother in garden with roses." Brisbane. 1979. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother in garden with roses." Brisbane. 1979. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother with roses." Brisbane '79. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother with roses." Brisbane '79. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Alan and Mother." Brisbane. 1981. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Alan and Mother." Brisbane. 1981. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother. Graceville. 1981." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother. Graceville. 1981." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother standing." Brisbane. 1981. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother standing." Brisbane. 1981. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother. Sydney. 1984." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother. Sydney. 1984." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Me and Alan, living room. Graceville." 1986. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Me and Alan, living room. Graceville." 1986. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother. Graceville. 1986." Brisbane. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother. Graceville. 1986." Brisbane. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother in living room. Graceville." 1986. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother in living room. Graceville." 1986. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Frances and Mother." Brisbane. 1988. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Frances and Mother." Brisbane. 1988. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother and her grandsons, John, Robert and William Fukuda." Brisbane. 1988. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother and her grandsons, John, Robert and William Fukuda." Brisbane. 1988. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother. Graceville. 1989." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother. Graceville. 1989." (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Mother eating breakfast." Graceville. 1990. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Mother eating breakfast." Graceville. 1990. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "Family group in front of old farmhouse." Dimbulah. 1992. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"Family group in front of old farmhouse." Dimbulah. 1992. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "The last photo of my Mother." Bruce Weir. Dimbulah. 1992. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"The last photo of my Mother." Bruce Weir. Dimbulah. 1992. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork "William Yang performing Sadness." Sydney. 1992. Photo: Peter Elfes. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2003-01-01

"William Yang performing Sadness." Sydney. 1992. Photo: Peter Elfes. (from 'About my mother' portfolio) 2003
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Return to the place of childhood. Dimbulah 2016, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Blood spattered documents (from 'My uncle's murder' portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Mother in car. Photographer unknown (from 'My uncle's murder' portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

My mother's signature (from ‘My uncle’s murder’ portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

"Police sketch of the murder." (from 'My uncle's murder' portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

William Fang Yuen and Aunt Bessie. Photographer unknown (from 'My uncle's murder' portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

William Fang Yuen and business partners. Photographer unknown (from 'My uncle's murder' portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

William in cane fields (from 'My Uncle's Murder' portfolio) 2008, printed 2020
Artwork Patrick White #1, Kings Cross this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 1980-01-01

Patrick White #1, Kings Cross 1980
Artwork Patrick White #1, living room, Martin Road this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 1988-01-01

Patrick White #1, living room, Martin Road 1988
Artwork Tony Albert. Visible, QAGOMA this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 2018-01-01

Tony Albert. Visible, QAGOMA 2018, printed 2021
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Ben Law. Arncliffe 2016/2020
Artwork Ah Xian. The China Project, QAGOMA this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford Galerie smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 2009-01-01

Ah Xian. The China Project, QAGOMA 2009, printed 2021
Artwork Warwick Thornton this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford Gallerie smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 2011-01-01

Warwick Thornton 2011, printed 2021
Artwork Tracey Moffatt at Luke Roberts's party Brisbane this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper

Tracey Moffatt at Luke Roberts's party Brisbane 2002, printed 2021
Artwork Max Dupain. Studio this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1991-01-01

Max Dupain. Studio 1991, printed 2021
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self portrait #5 2008, printed 2020
Artwork Brett Whiteley this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1975-01-01

Brett Whiteley 1975, printed 2021
Artwork Marriage Equality rally this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 2017-01-01

Marriage Equality rally 2017, printed 2021
Artwork Fairy this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1983-01-01

Fairy 1983, printed 2021
Artwork Chinese New Year party Year of the Rabbit this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on Agfa fibre-based paper, created in 1999-01-01

Chinese New Year party Year of the Rabbit 1999
Artwork Silence = Death, Action = Life this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1993-01-01

Silence = Death, Action = Life 1993, printed 2021
Artwork Vigil this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 1994-01-01

Vigil 1994
Artwork Tamarama Lifesavers this artwork made of Inkjet print on Hahnemühle Fine Art Pearl paper, created in 1981-01-01

Tamarama Lifesavers 1981, printed 2020
Artwork Invisibility #1 this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on Agfa fibre-based paper with cut-out, ink text on paper

Invisibility #1 1995
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

To Friendship 1999
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Golden Summer 1987/2016
Artwork NAIDOC photographic exhibition this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1986-01-01

NAIDOC photographic exhibition 1986, printed 2021
Artwork Dennis Altman and Craig Johnston at a demonstration this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1981-01-01

Dennis Altman and Craig Johnston at a demonstration 1981, printed 2021
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Life Lines #3 - Self portrait #2 (1947) 1947/2008, printed 2021
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Life Lines #11 - William in scholar's costume (1984) 1984/2009, printed 2021
Artwork The morning after this artwork made of Inkjet print on Ilford smooth cotton rag art paper, created in 1976-01-01

The morning after 1976, printed 2021

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