MARS Gallery is proud to present Atong Atem at Sydney Contemporary 2025, Australasia’s premier art fair, exhibiting from 11 - 14 September at Carriageworks.
Coinciding the PHOTO Australia’s debut at the Rencontres d’Arles, Atong will exhibit a major new body of work at Sydney Contemporary this September, releasing never-before-seen works from the artist’s archive, alongside a new series of photographic textiles. 2025 marks Atong's fifth presentation with MARS Gallery at Sydney Contemporary. From the earliest iterations of the artist's staged portraits, developing her iconic visual language, to working on textile for the very first time, Sydney Contemporary has always previewed Atong’s practice throughout the years.
Developing her medium, practice and her voice as an Australian artist, Atem's new series
This Happened To You expands on her ongoing exploration of family, lineage and mythology. This new series of velvet textile works asks questions about the universality of stories, the concept of fate and the ability for visual mediums to be infinitely malleable.
This Happened To You reflects Atong’s ongoing exploration of family, lineage and mythology, all while the artists’ own family expands, and as she welcomes her second child.
Also presenting works from the the artist's archive as light-works, the 2025 iteration of Sydney Contemporary will recall the iconic textiles, compositions and elements that have characterised Atem’s work over the last ten years.
For all artist enquiries, please email Andy Dinan at andy@marsgallery.com.au.
PLEASE NOTE for the large velvet textiles:- Editions 1 to 8 + 1 AP released in September, Australia for Sydney Contemporary 2025.
- Editions 9 to 16 + 1 AP released in November, Europe for Paris Photo 2025.
Please refer to the current available edition listed for each work.