William Yang is one of Australia’s most significant documentarians of
Australian queer history with a prolific arts practice spanning five
decades. He is known in particular for his archives of the Sydney
LGBTQIA+ community from the 1970s onwards, including the evolution of
the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and for photographic series
engaging with the impact of HIV/AIDS on his friends and community, as
well as his personal family history and relationships. Self Portrait #5 fits
into a larger body of photographic work that is characterised by the
use of text inscriptions and essentially traces a man rediscovering
himself. Oscillating between the public and private realms of Yang’s
life, this self portrait speaks to the inherent value and power of lived
experiences. Through the combination of visual and oral narratives, the
work reflects the artist’s self-acceptance and acknowledgment of
culture, heritage and celebration of self.
Purchased 2022
© William Yang
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
William Yang on his heritage and becoming a photographer in the 70s.
William Yang shares the stories behind his autobiographical self portraits that celebrate his cultural heritage and identity.
