Atong Atem's Monumental Self-Portrait at National Portrait Gallery and Tate Modern Presentations

Atong Atem, a South-Sudanese artist originally from Ethiopia and currently residing in Naarm/Melbourne, focuses her artistic efforts on themes of identity and cultural representation through portraiture. Her significant work, The Last Woman (2025), is a large-scale self-portrait displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, reflecting the experiences of the diaspora within Australia. In 2024, Atem's art was featured at Paris Photo and included in the exhibition A World In Common: Contemporary African Photography at Tate Modern. Drawing inspiration from African photographers, she aims to challenge colonial narratives surrounding the African diaspora. She was awarded the MECCA M-POWER Scholarship in 2018 and the La Prairie Art Award in 2022. Exhibitions showcasing her dynamic portraits are set for 2026.