Queer Chinese Voices Forum 2023
Organisers: Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture (IAC) at Western Sydney
University & China Studies Centre (CSC) at the University of Sydney
Date and time: Thursday 9 March 2023, 9.30 am to 2.30 pm (adjustable depending how many speakers/panellists there will be)
Venue: IAC, Building EA, Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University (cnr James Ruse Drive and Victoria Road)
Mode: Hybrid (onsite for local participants | online for interstate and international participants)
General Description:
Queer Chinese Voices is the first forum of its kind, jointly organised by the Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture (IAC) at Western Sydney University and The China Studies Centre (CSC) at the University of Sydney. The Cultural and Creative Arts Research Network (UCCAN) at University of New England will be a partner to this Forum.
The Forum will be held in celebration of Sydney WorldPride 2023 – the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere – to strengthen queer Chinese voices through art, music, cultural exploration and academic studies. The Forum features prominent voices in art, music and cultural studies via keynote speeches and panel discussions by leading experts on LGBTIQA+ topics throughout the Sinosphere, Australia and around the world. Topics include Chinese queer voices in art, music, literature and history, and queer studies involving Chinese and Chinese heritage queers. Keynote speakers are engaged by recommendation and invitation. Panels are formed through proposals.
This Forum includes the official opening of William Yang’s solo exhibition, Claiming Heritage at IAC and William Yang’s his famed monologue performance. William Yang is one of Australia’s most celebrated independent photographers and performers. Born William Young in North Queensland in 1943, he changed his name to William Yang in 1983. His first solo exhibition in 1977, Sydneyphiles, caused a sensation because of its frank depiction of the Sydney gay scene. In the mid-eighties, William Yang began to explore his Chinese heritage which had hitherto been lost to him by his complete assimilation into the Australian way of life. His photographic themes expanded to include landscapes and the Chinese in Australia. William Yang has integrated his skills as a writer and a visual artist in his performance of monologues with slide projection in the theatre. These slide shows have become his favourite way of showing his work.
Academics, researchers and artists who would like to speak on queer Chinese topics are encouraged to email to the following people, advising the title/topic of your talk, an abstract and your short bio, by 31 January 2023:
Professor David Goodman @ david.goodman@sydney.edu.au
Professor Jing Han @ jing.han@westernsydney.edu.au
Yanping Zhang @ yanping.zhang@sydney.edu.au
Dr Nicholas Ng @ Nicholas.Ng@westernsydney.edu.au
Papers which are selected and pass the peer review process will be submitted to Journal of the Society for Asian Humanities by the University of Sydney for publication.