Artist 101

South African photographer Zanele Muholi has been exhibited around the world, revered for their politically and culturally charged images that interrogate the prejudice and discrimination still faced within South Africa’s Black lesbian, gay, trans, queer and intersex communities.

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Muholi captures intimate moments of love and compassion as well as the traumatic repercussions of hate crime, often fatal, experienced within their community. Black and white imagery has become a signature characteristic of their practice, along with the powerful defiance the sitters exude through eye contact held with both the camera and audience.

In 2024, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is presenting Zanele Muholi: Eye Me, the first major exhibition of the South African artist on the West Coast.

Here, Bonhams specialist Giles Peppiatt shares some insights on Muholi’s politically charged artform, their rise to success and a growing demand on the market—illustrated with artworks sold at Bonhams.

1.

On the Rise

Muholi was born in Umlazi, South West of Durban in South Africa in 1972 at the height of apartheid. Losing their father at a young age, Muholi’s mother was left to support a family of eight with minimal means. Identifying as a Black non-binary South African, Muholi turned to photography as a form of visual activism to promote social change and to re-claim the narrative of their unrepresented and demonised community.

The Bill of Rights constitution against discrimination towards the LGBTQ community was officially approved in 1996, making South Africa the first nation to globally pioneer federal protections on the basis of sexual orientation, however discrimination towards the LGBTQ community is still heavily felt today. Muholi’s images present a narrative of their community that encapsulates resistance and existence.

The South African Photographer David Goldblatt, known for his images documenting the social and political structures lived under apartheid, became Muholi’s early mentor from the early 2000s. During this period they trained at the prestigious Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg, honing techniques to capture the humanity of their community. Only Half the Picture, a visual documentation of LGBTQ victims of hate crime from various South African townships, culminated in their first exhibition in 2004. Presenting the notion that lesbian practices are alien to African cultures, the show gained national attention. In 2009 Muholi completed an MFA in Documentary Media at Ryerson University, Toronto.

2.

Photographer & Activism

Mixing gender and sexual rights activism with photography, Muholi wishes to "re-write a Black queer and trans visual history of South Africa for the world to know of our resistance and existence at the height of hate crimes in South Africa and beyond". Capturing moments that are both intimate and defiant, Muholi embraces the spirit of collaboration with their participants. Giving limelight to the LGBTQ community, they create visually powerful messages that educate on the complexities and fluidity of gender as well as exposing the harassment, aggression and discrimination towards their community.

Regarded as some of Muholi’s most recognised work, the ongoing series Faces and Phases began in 2006 as a means of sharing experiences of the injustice, violent and at times deadly attacks lesbians face in their country. While same-sex marriage was made legal in South Africa from 2006, discrimination against queer women remains widespread. The images provide snapshots into the lives of Muholi’s subjects and their personal experiences of struggle and survival. Simple, yet overtly political, they are powerful acts of defiance that simultaneously mourn and celebrate the lives of queer women in South Africa.

Unfortunately, Muholi has experienced numerous acts of aggression and is often forced to take extra precautions when photographing their community, such as avoiding shooting after dark. Muholi’s activism extends beyond their photographic work - they co-founded the Black lesbian organisation Forum of the Empowerment of Women (FEW), where they work as a community relations officer. They also founded Inkangyiso, a digital platform for queer media and activism in 2006.

3.

Self-Portraiture

2012 marked a turning point in Muholi’s photographic style. Having spent a decade documenting members of the Black lesbian and trans community in South Africa, they turned the camera on themselves. Reflecting on personal experiences of displacement in Somnyama Ngonyama ( “Hail the Dark Lioness”) series, Muholi was forced to take these images outside of South Africa, where they were restricted from challenging ‘explicit’ content around race and sexuality. The portraits were mostly taken in hotel rooms across European cities and embrace Muholi’s resourcefulness. Utilising found materials - sponges, safety pins and cables - their costumes and props allude to political, personal and cultural references, often focusing on the centrality of hair as a defining symbol of African identity and stylistic expression.

Muholi’s work is dedicated to their strong-willed and resilient mother Bester, referencing the history of Black women, as well as oppressive stereotypes, racism and Eurocentrism. Becoming both participant and image-maker, they play with their choice of medium, touching on the aesthetics of black and white portraiture as well as fashion photography. The unflinching and intimate gaze provokes the viewer to question their intent as well as their own relationship with their bodies.

4.

Global Acclaim

Since their first exhibition Only Half the Picture in 2004, Muholi has continued to attract global attention for their political artform. Praised for their technical skill, meticulous attention to detail and distinct approach to light and colour, Muholi has been awarded some of the world’s most revered photography prizes. In 2016 they won an Infinity Award from the International Center of Photography and a Chevalier de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. A year before they were shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize and in 2018 Muholi secured an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society. Their work was chosen to represent South Africa at the 55th Venice Biennale and has been exhibited at some of the world’s most prestigious art shows, including Documenta, where Faces and Phases was presented in 2012.

Muholi images are now housed in a number of the world’s largest private and public collections, including the New York Guggenheim and MoMA in New York. In 2020, Tate Modern in London presented a mid-career survey of Muholi’s work and in 2024, the SFMOMA held Muholi’s first major exhibition on the West Coast, spanning their first photographic series to paintings and sculptures made during the pandemic.

5.

On the Market

As Muholi’s images continue to reach a global audience and their reputation as one of today’s most established photographers grows, so too does market demand. A number of photographs by the South African artist have sold at Bonhams auctions over the last few years. Many of which are from the Somnyama Ngonyama (2012 - 2018) series. In 2021 and 2020, Bonhams London and New York auctions secured sales of powerful self portraits including Isililo XX, for £21,500 inc. premium, Sasa, Bleecker, New York, 2016, for £6,812 inc. premium, and Isililo X, 2013 for £6,937 inc. premium. It is safe to say that Muholi's star is on the rise and there is no better time to add work by this exceptional artist to your collection.

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