Inkanyiso by Queer Photographer Zanele Muholi
STEVENSON, Johannesburg, South Africa is proud to present a solo exhibition by Zanele Muholi.
‘Phumzile Nkosi’ and ‘Skye Chirape’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
‘Ziyanda Daniel’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
‘Silva Dux Eiseb’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
Zanele Muholi – Inkanyiso
@ Stevenson gallery, 62 Juta Street (next to Mandela bridge)
Johannesburg
South Africa
The show opened on July 7 and runs through August 5 2011
“Inkanyiso brings together three new bodies of photographic work: new portraits in the ongoing series Faces and Phases (2010-11); Beulahs (2007-10) and Transfigures (2010-11), and the documentary Difficult Love (2010). As always, Muholi is upfront about her agenda as an activist, seeking to educate the viewer on ‘the complexities and fluidity of gender’. The title of the show, Inkanyiso, means ‘illumination’ or ‘light’ in Zulu, and it is Muholi’s aim to ‘shine a light onto viewers’ understanding of gender and sexuality’. She writes:
Inkanyiso speaks about the complexities of gender and sexuality terminologies in which lesbianism or gayness (homosexuality) equals sexual orientation, and transgenderism equals gender. Inkanyiso presents those who have given of themselves to shed a light on the vast issues that continue to affect sexual minorities, especially black queers. These are people found in spaces that are sometimes disadvantaged. They are the ones who want to but cannot express themselves freely without fearing atrocious prejudice for being themselves.”
‘Asanda Fanti’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
‘Pam Dlungwana’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
‘Skipper Mogapi’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
‘Thandi and Thandeka Mbatha’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
About Zanele Muholi
Zanele Muholi was born in Umlazi, Durban, in 1972, and lives in Cape Town. She studied photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Newtown, Johannesburg. In 2009 she was the Ida Ely Rubin Artist-in-Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Also in 2009 she received a Fanny Ann Eddy accolade from IRN-Africa for her outstanding contributions to the study of sexuality in Africa, and won Casa Africa and Fondation Blachère awards at Les Rencontres de Bamako biennial of African photography. She often present her photographic works at international exhibitions. In 2010 she made an award-winning film titled ‘Difficult Love’, a personal documentary about the challenges facing black lesbians in South Africa Today and published her book ‘Faces and Phases’.
‘Betesta Nigake II ‘and ‘Rena Godlo’ © Zanele Muholi. Courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg
Related Details And Links
Read my review of Zanele Muholi’s book ‘Faces and Phases’ and her documentary ‘Difficult Love’: Zanele Muholi A visual Artist and Activist
Faces and Phases
by Zanele Muholi
Publisher: Prestel USA (August 31, 2010)
ISBN-10: 3791344951
ISBN-13: 978-3791344959
Zanele Muholi’s website