Ep 6 - Photography - Owen Leong

FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION 

For the past two decades Owen Leong has developed a highly personal art practice that spans sculpture, photography, video, and installation.

Through the lens of his own identity as a queer person of colour, Owen examines the social, political, and cultural forces that impact our lives. Often centring his own body within the frame, Owen has used his practice as a way to locate himself within the world.

In this conversation, Owen talks about the steely determination he has needed to pursue his career and why his decision to undertake a Master of Fine Art at the University of NSW was viewed as 'somewhat controversial' by his family.

Image: Owen Leong, 2023-25 PAS Rydalmere Studio Artist. Photo: Anna Kučera. Courtesy Parramatta Artists’ Studios

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If you could have dinner with any artist from Newcastle Art Gallery's collection, who would it be? Why? 

You can view Owen's selected artist Damien Shen's work here.

To choose your own dinner guest, you can search artists from our collection here.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION  

Newcastle Art Gallery has a collection of significant photography by some of Australia's pre-eminent photographers. These include artists such as Jane Burton, Destiny Deacon, Fiona Hall, Bill Henson, Rosemary Laing, Julie Rrap, Darren Siwes and Robyn Stacey.

The collection has been built over time to reflect the growing prominence of contemporary photography in Australia.

Find out more about Newcastle Art Gallery's Photography collection here.

Newcastle Art Gallery holds two works of art by Owen Leong in our collection.