Zanele Muholi

A self-proclaimed visual activist and one of the most acclaimed photographers working today, Zanele Muholi works to challenge and reshape societal perceptions of Black queer identities in South Africa and beyond.

Born in 1972 in Durban, South Africa, Muholi first gained widespread recognition with their groundbreaking series Faces and Phases, which began in 2006. This ongoing body of work features intimate portraits of the Black LGBTQIA+ community across South Africa. Through Faces and Phases, Muholi offers a deeply personal yet political narrative, celebrating resilience while bearing witness to Black queer life in post-apartheid South Africa.

The artist’s early work, including their debut series Only Half the Picture (2002–06), also addresses themes of violence, trauma, and marginalisation, reflecting on their own experiences as a queer Black South African. These themes recur throughout their career, grounding their work in the context of activism and social justice.

Muholi’s photography often moves between the realms of portraiture and activism, challenging the erasure of Black LGBTQIA+ individuals in art and society. Their work serves as both a personal archive and a form of visual activism, giving voice and visibility to those who are often silenced and neglected.

Zanele Muholi’s art is held in collections and shown in exhibitions worldwide, including the Tate Modern in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and other major institutions. Muholi continues to break boundaries, using their lens to foster empathy, visibility and change. Their work remains a profound statement on the power of photography to document, transform and affirm identity.