On Refusing to be a "Subtle Girl"
Artist Atong Atem and Olivia Talk Artistry, Creativity, Design and History
Season 5. Episode 5. Listen to full episodes of the Podcast, here.
Artist Atong Atem proclaims proudly, "I'm not a subtle girl".
“Spaces that allow you to create, to invent universes and worlds are the ones that allow us to understand the [real] world and how we see our place in it. So how we talk about literal aliens [in science fiction] reflects real issues of xenophobia.”
In this episode filled with laughter and the sharing of history and creative influences, Olivia and Atong joke about painfully plain interior design trends, the pipeline from large families to the decision to elope, and Atong's view of herself as science fiction character.
The conversation also takes a deep turn towards the history and traditions of the Dinka people, Atong's understanding of her context as a visual artist, and how she has made it as one of Australia's leading photographers.
Listen to Episode 5 of the Cleopatra's Bling Podcast:
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Atong is represented by MARS Gallery in Australia, where her work is available to purchase.
All images courtesy the artist and MARS Gallery and may not be reproduced without permission.