Performance The South Sudanese Bor United Women's Choir

The South Sudanese Bor United Women’s Choir are Dinka-speaking Bor women who emanate strength and resilience as they celebrate cultural practice through song and dance. Their original lyrics convey the joy they felt as South Sudan was declared independent and their belief that the blood shed during the many years of conflict was not in vain. Their united voices transcend language barriers to share their message with all audiences. They perform regularly at Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, community festivals and recently on Radio National. All the women came to Australia as refugees and have settled across the SE of NSW.

Passage: The Art of Atong Atem is the first major solo exhibition of Melbourne-based, South Sudanese artist Atong Atem in Australia. Presenting new and existing photographic works by a leading artist in her generation of contemporary photography. Her art tells a story of a culture that persists amid displacement, war and colonialism. She traces a transcontinental and intergenerational journey, echoing the often-coerced movements of people – telling a story of resilience that endures.

Noting the neglect of East African contributions in mainstream art history, Atem centres her community and herself in her work, honouring Dinka Bor myths and culture. Photography, historically a colonial instrument, becomes a tool for reclaiming identity and agency. Through this lens, Atem explores how identity is performed both in daily life and before the camera, creating spaces where history, memory, and imagination intertwine.