In 1986, three generations of Tammy’s family were deported from Queensland. Her mother. who was pregnant with Tammy at the time, was left behind to pick up the pieces. Since becoming a mother herself, Tammy has begun to reflect on the ways that trauma can be intergenerational, how it can reside in your DNA and be passed down.
Assisted by the recollections of her mother Jenny Phang, and the storytelling of siblings Michelle and Benjamin Law, Tammy will document personal stories and histories to challenge, instigate and inspire conversations around forced migration. The project aims to develop new understandings between those who have lived experiences of deportation and the public.
Tammy’s documentary photographic practice revolves around issues of migration, diaspora and cultural difference, informed by her experiences of being Asian Australian. Her work explores the complexities of displacement and the emotional, psychological and physical dislocations that occur.
Join in: During the residency, the public is invited to contribute to Tammy’s exhibition through an interactive paper folding activity.
About BrisAsia Stories: Part of BrisAsia Festival, BrisAsia Stories is an initiative designed to explore Brisbane’s evolving cultural identity through exhibitions, panel discussions and community engagement activations. The program shares stories that foster deeper cultural awareness and provides contexts for meaningful intercultural discourse, knowledge sharing and learning.
MoB’s Artist in Residence program is supported by Tim Fairfax AC.
Presented by Brisbane City Council in partnership with Museum of Brisbane (MoB).
Exhibition Partner
Tammy Law’s documentary photographic practice revolves around issues of migration, diaspora and cultural difference, informed by her experiences of being Asian Australian. Since 2007, Tammy’s work has been regularly exhibited across Australia and internationally. Her artist book Permission To Belong won the 2018 ANZ Photobook People’s Choice Award and in 2017 she was awarded an Australia Council for the Arts grant to establish Fragile Constellations, an online network between photographers from Myanmar and Australia. In 2018, she pursued further research and completed her PhD in Media and Communication at RMIT. In addition to being an established photographer, she has curated and exhibited the work of others. Tammy’s freelance photography has been widely published, with clients including The Wall Street Journal, Broadsheet, The Saturday Paper and Australian Traveller.
