Zanele Muholi
Biography
Zanele Muholi is a South African visual activist, photographer, and artist whose work has helped transform the visibility of Black LGBTQIA+ communities in South Africa and around the world. Born in Umlazi, Durban, during apartheid, Muholi studied Advanced Photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg before earning a Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). Muholi has long described their practice as "visual activism," emphasizing photography as a tool for social justice rather than simply artistic expression.
Muholi's internationally recognized body of work documents the lives, resilience, and dignity of Black lesbian, transgender, queer, intersex, and gender-diverse people. Their landmark portrait series Faces and Phases (2006–Present) serves as a living archive of South Africa's Black LGBTQIA+ communities, while the acclaimed self-portrait series Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness) (2014–Present) confronts racism, colonialism, labor, gender, and representation through powerful staged imagery. Muholi also co-founded the Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW) in 2002 and later founded Inkanyiso, a platform dedicated to queer visual activism and media.
Beyond exhibitions in leading museums worldwide, Muholi continues to support education, mentorship, and community building. In 2021 they established the Muholi Art Institute, supporting young artists through creative education and visual activism. Their work continues to challenge erasure while preserving the histories, identities, and lived experiences of Black LGBTQIA+ people for future generations.
BQW Impact
Zanele Muholi has fundamentally reshaped how Black queer lives are documented, remembered, and represented in contemporary visual culture. Through photography, publishing, institution building, and community activism, they have created one of the world's most important visual archives of Black LGBTQIA+ life. Muholi's work has expanded global conversations about race, gender, sexuality, and human rights while inspiring artists, activists, and scholars committed to representation, visibility, and social justice.
Notable Works
Faces and Phases (2006)
Ongoing portrait series documenting the lives and histories of Black lesbian, transgender, queer, intersex, and gender-diverse people across South Africa.
Somnyama Ngonyama (2014)
Internationally acclaimed self-portrait series exploring race, colonialism, labor, gender, and identity through visual activism.
Only Half the Picture (2006)
Photographic book documenting Black lesbian communities while confronting violence, discrimination, and resilience in post-apartheid South Africa.
Inkanyiso (2009)
Founded an online platform supporting queer visual activism, storytelling, education, and community media.
Muholi Art Institute (2021)
Founded a creative institution supporting photography, youth development, and visual activism in South Africa.
Learn More
Explore Zanele Muholi's official website featuring exhibitions, publications, artwork, and biography.
Learn about the institute founded by Muholi to support photography, creative education, and emerging visual activists.
Explore Muholi's work in the Museum of Modern Art collection and learn about their contributions to contemporary photography and visual activism.
National Museum of Women in the Arts – Zanele Muholi
Read about Muholi's artistic practice, exhibitions, and lasting impact on contemporary art.
Follow Zanele Muholi's official Instagram for current exhibitions, photography, visual activism, and creative projects.