When it comes to Australian gay photographers, few can compare with the formidable reputation of William Yang. Photographer and social essayer, Yang has spent the past fifteen years Yang presenting performance pieces with slide and video projections, with himself as compassionate witness. Sadness, Friends of Dorothy, Shadows, Blood Links and most recently Objects of Meditation have toured extensively in Australia and overseas.
Yang is also well known for documenting Sydney society, in particular the human face of the HIV epidemic, as well as the rise of the gay community, over three decades.
“I worked with the community documenting it, mainly in the late seventies and all through the eighties – that was my role. I don’t document it as much now, there’s not such a need for it anymore.”

Yang’s work explores themes of otherness, not only because of his gayness, but also because of his Chinese heritage “I’ve come out in a public way. It’s harder to come out to an aunt than it is to come out in a public interview. So you could say I came out to my family in a round about way, most of them found out by watching it on television. I think they’ve gotten used to it.”

Yang says that he admires activists, people who are out there fighting for the cause. “I am a great admirer of Justice Kirby because he’s an eloquent person and he’s got great credibility and he speaks out about issues. I’m also a great admirer of Ian Roberts because he came out to the kind of people that we don’t know – the general public who watch football. It’s a much tougher audience than say the artsy fartsy crowd.”

Yang speaks of the state of today’s gay scene with hope in his voice. “It is very different. I think the scene is much ‘queerer’ now. I’ve been to parties where gender isn’t an issue. One’s sexuality seems more relaxed. I went to a dance event recently, there were people dancing the tango. At one point they swapped partners and it turned into a same-sex tango and it was just no big deal. I remember thinking, ‘this is the sort of gay community we’ve always dreamed of.’”

According to Yang, the younger generation are taking the gains we’ve made for granted. “I suppose it’s fair enough as all younger generations do that, but as far as AIDS goes, it’s still there and people need to be reminded of that. While it’s more manageable people shouldn’t become complacent. There are people who still need our help.”

Yang is currently working on a performance piece about China. “It’s got gay content in it, I talk about homosexuality in China. Like all of my work, it has my camp sensibility.”

So how does he feel to be part of the 25? “I’m quite honoured actually, seriously honoured. I’m thrilled.”

By Christian Taylor