by Lesego Tlhwale

The Norwegian LGBTI community has been infiltrated by the most progressive queer media and visual activism organisation Inkanyiso Productions. From the  19 – 23 June 2013, Zanele Muholi and Maureen Majola will be representing Inkanyiso in Oslo at the I see Rainbows exhibition opened at Kuntplass 5, invited by Landsforeningen for Lesbiske, homofile, bifile og transpersoner/ The Norwegian LGBT organisation (LLH), in association with The Norwegian Student and Academics International Assistance Fund (SAIH) and, Forum for Women and Development (FOKUS).

Inkanyiso and Muholi are invited to come and showcase the work they do as well as participate in a couple of activities leading to the Annual Oslo Pride festival.

Muholi presenting Faces & Phases at the Kunstplass 5 on the 20th June 2013.
Photo by Marna Eide of LLH

L – R: The three (3) presidents of member organisations who invited Inkanyiso.
Gro Lindstad (FOKUS); Anja Riise (SAIH) and Baard Nylund (LLH)

Muholi is the main exhibitor in the I See Rainbows exhibition and she will be showing the Faces and Phases series. The exhibition includes a number of lesbians, gays and trans-artists from Norway, Russia, South Africa and other. The exhibition will be showing an image of the historical fight for gay rights and current portrayals of lesbians, gay and transgendered people.

Furthermore, the two will take part in two seminars. The first seminar on the 21 June 2013 is a discussion around methods for communication, representation and activism targeting information and development organisations. The team will be sharing Inkanyiso’s experience and analysis on how to avoid sensationalism and create spaces for multiple voices. A fitting discussion for them, as Inkanyiso through its blog has managed to create a space were black lesbians can have their stories told in a way they want to read them.

The second seminar titled Queer Art and Activism on the 22 June 2013, Muholi will be the main speaker and the seminar will be a dialogue between queer artists and academics from Norway and South Africa looking at how art can be used for activist, information and advocacy.

Majola will also be part of showing perspectives (art activism – queer poetics) around the issues from her experience as part of the Inkanyiso in South Africa.

The trip to Oslo is part of Inkanyiso’s international solidarity initiative and inter-generational knowledge exchange. Inkanyiso’s short-term goal is to ensure that all its members (a collective of ten black lesbians) travel abroad to learn and work in international spaces. Also to document and disseminate information with the broader community.

The next international stop for Inkanyiso will be in Antwerp, Belgium where the crew will be documenting the World Outgames III.

Previous by Lesego

2013 June 5: Lesego sharing the work of Inkanyiso at the LGBT conference in Salzburg, AUSTRIA

and
2013 May 18: After Mask … Hear Us Out

and
2013 May 15: SA Task Team representatives fail the LGBTI community


and

2013 April 28: Bleak freedom for black lesbians in South Africa


and

2013 April 12: Bros B4 Ho’s at the OIA film festival opening


and

2013 March 24: Recognition of LGBTI Activist should be a culture

and

2013 March 16: Dangerous love


and

2013 Feb. 12: A dildo is not a man; it’s a fantastic toy…


and

2013 Mar.1: Definitely NOT “Gaysbian”