Zanele Muholi

Zanele Muholi is a South African visual activist born in Umlazi, Durban, in 1972. Working through photography, film and sculpture, they document and celebrate Black LGBTQIA+ lives in South Africa and beyond. Their practice confronts the historical exclusion of Black lesbian, gay, trans, intersex and gender-nonconforming people from dominant visual culture.

In the ongoing series Faces and Phases, Muholi creates a collective portrait archive shaped by dignity, continuity and collaboration. In Somnyama Ngonyama, meaning “Hail the Dark Lioness,” they turn the camera on themself. Everyday materials become costumes and symbols that address racism, labour, colonial history and the politics of looking.

For Muholi, visibility is not simply a matter of being seen. It is a way of claiming authorship, recording existence and resisting historical erasure. Their portraits allow participants to meet the viewer without surrendering control of their identities. This tag brings together articles, exhibitions and critical perspectives on Zanele Muholi’s artistic and activist practice.