Zanele Muholi: Being & Faces and Phases

Zinzi and Tozama II

Long overdue, the European Court of Justice recently ruled that homosexual Africans are now entitled to asylum is EU countries, given a persecution in their home country. In Mauritania and Sudan as well as in parts of Nigeria and Somalia, gays face the death penalty; in 27 countries homosexuality is punished with imprisonment of up to 14 years. Homosexuals face discrimination every day, are fearing for their partners, their families, and their lives - the harassment starts with open insult and ends with rape and murder. South Africa is one of the few countries where they are legally protected, but even there, 'corrective rape' and murder of lesbians is the daily fare.

Zanele Muholi is a photographer and activist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her photography is a strong statement against the discrimination, giving black LGBTQI a face and a voice. She was awarded the Index on Censorship arts award 2013 for her work on gender and sexuality in South Africa. Her work is beautiful and powerful - particularly her candid look on South African lesbian couples from the series Being. Her style is straight forward in (or despite) its versatility, including classic portraits, changing between colour and black and white, staged and observed. It feels very honest - her work shows what normally stays hidden, it is a brave testimony of love, and of existence.

Katlego Mashiloane and Nosipho Lavuta, Ext. 2, Lakeside, Johannesburg 2007

Ayanda Magozola, Kwanele South, Katlehong, Johannesburg, 2012

The last picture is from another award-winning series by Muholi, Faces and Phases, which is literally giving South African LGBTQI a face (or faces). These are the simplest portraits one can imagine - and in their simplicity they are powerful, they are poignant, they are fearless: Just look at those fierce eyes! The pictures are impressively confident. Zanele Muholi, her subjects, and her pictures stand up to threat and violence. Visibility changes awareness. These pictures visibly have the power to bring change.