Category Archives: South African Visual Activism

2019 June 4: Muholi donates photographic equipment to Ekurhuleni photographers.

Text by Yaya Mavundla Photos by Thembela Dick On Tuesday 4 June 2019,  we headed to Springs Art Gallery in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, were Professor. Sir Zanele Muholi was scheduled to hand over a donation of 13 DSLR cameras, SD cards, camera bags … Continue reading

Posted in A new visual history, Black Lesbian professionals, Black Queer Professionals, Camera work, Cameras, Chris Hani, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Exhibition opening, Exhibitions, Give children cameras not candies, Prof/Sir Zanele Muholi, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Professionals, South African black visual history, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Uncategorized, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist and Journalist | Leave a comment

2015 March 10: Photo of that day

… still relevant right now. Camera used:  Canon 6d with 85mm lens on Manfrotto tripod. Location:  Belleville, Paris. FRANCE. A collaboration between Valerie Thomas and Zanele Muholi.     Previous link   2014 Nov. 11: The Artivist and the Doctor   and … Continue reading

Posted in After 2015 International Women's Day, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Cold night, Collaborations, Collective, Comfort, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Confession, Connected souls, Connections, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Democratic, Facing You, Facts, Faith, Family, Featuring, Feelings, Female being, Female Photographers, Lesbian, Lesbian couple, Reality, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, South African Visual Activism, Visual activism is a language, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, ZaVa series (2015) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2015 Feb. 16: VMCI is a home away from home

by Tinashe Wakapila Red, Black and White are always the best definition of love and sharing. On February 15, members of Victory Ministries Church International (VMCI) looked bright, while wearing these colours. They were commemorating Valentine’s Day, which was celebrated … Continue reading

Posted in Celebrating 2015 Valentine's Day at VMCI, Consideration, Conversation, Photography, Solidarity, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Stories, Struggles, Style, Support is the system, Testimonies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2014 Dec. 1: “The portraits are no longer just pictures”

Book Review by Rene Mathibe I have been fascinated with books ever since I learnt how to read. To be able to read and understand someone’s story is beautiful. Zanele Muholi launched her fourth book titled “Faces and Phases 2006-14” … Continue reading

Posted in Articulation, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, Arts & Culture, As we are, Attention, Background, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Commitment, Committed, Daring, Eight years of photographing Faces and Phases, Frank, Gauteng, Gender articulation, Healing, Incredible, Inkanyiso media, Interviews, Introduction, Legacies of Existence, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Mission, Natalspruit, Platform, Representation, Self love, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual minorities, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Stories, Touching, Visual activism, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love each other, We love photographs, We Love Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2014 Nov. 20: New York Faces and Phases (2006 – 2014) book launch

taken by Lola with iPhone 5 Where:  Walther Collection, New York.     Muholi being introduced by Artur Walther…   “You’ll have to read the book from back to front” said Zanele Muholi.       My incredible New York … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Art collectors, Article, Audience, Brooklyn Museum, Caring citizens, Claiming mainstream spaces, Cold night, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Curators, Dedication, Dress sense, Education, Emotional support, Evidence, Excitement, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Faces & Phases portraits, Faces and Phases book launch in New York, Facing You, Fashion, Friendships, From Johannesburg to Paris to New York, Gallery owners, New York, Nomonde Mbusi, Portraiture series, Privilege, Professionals, Queer community, Queer Edutainment, Relationships, Representing, Self employed, Self love, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexuality, South Africa, South African art, South African Artists, South African artists hit New York, South African lesbians, South African struggle, South African townships, South African traditions, South African Visible Arts, South African Visual Activism, Style, Teachings, Walther Collection, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Winter in New York, Wishing you well, Witnesses, Zanele Muholi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

2014 Oct. 30: “Do you remember me?”

It has been two months since you passed on. There has never been a day that went by since that dreadful day that I have not thought of you. Each day that passes with tears in my eyes I think of you … Continue reading

Posted in Health, Sexual Liberation, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, South African Visual Activism, Space, Speaking for ourselves, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Womenonwomen, Words, Worked for us, Writing is a Right, Years, Youth, Youth voices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Oct. 8: Beautiful faces and kisses from Soweto Pride 2014

                                                                                … Continue reading

Posted in 10th Soweto Pride, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, After party, Allies, Alternative career choices, Alternative family, an LGBTI organisation, Anger, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Article, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, As we are, Attention, Awareness workshops, Background, Baring, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian mothers, Black lesbian visibility, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, black LGBTIQA, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Body, Cameras, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Characters, Charismatic, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contestants, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Creativity, Cultural activists, cultural worker, Culture, Culture of reading and writing, Delegation, Democracy, Demonstration, Details, Different positions, Dignity, disappearance, discourse, Discussion, Documentary, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress sense, Dyke, Edited, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Excitement, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Expression, Facilitators, Facing You, Feelings, Female Photographers, Food, Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW), Freedom of being, Friendships, Future, Gender articulation, Gender Equality, Gender expression, Gender naming, Gender performance, Generations, Give children cameras not candies, Give credits where it is due, God Fearing people, Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, Hate crimes Victims names, History, Human Beings, Human rights, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Identity, Independence, Influenced, Inkanyiso crew, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invisibility, Issues, Kiss, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Language, Legacies of Violence, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Lesbianism, Lessons learnt, Let us give a girl child a chance, LGBT community, LGBT rights activist, LGBTI community, lgbti issues in South Africa, LGBTIs in Africa, Life, Living, Lost Lives, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, lover, Loving, Luxury, Mainstream media, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Matters of the He(Art), Media works, Memories, Moments in herstory, Moments in our history, Motivation, My body, Networking, Open relationships, Opening remarks, Our lives in the picture, Our Zulu Pride, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer South Africa, Queer texts, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, queerity, question of history., Questioning, Questions & Answers, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Remembering, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Sadness, Safety, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Stage, Statement, Struggle Songs, Struggling, Struggling activist, Style, Subject of Art, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Teaching young women photography, Tears, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Townships, Translation, Trust, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Well organized event, What black lesbian youth wants, When Love is a Human Right, Wishing you well, Women loving women, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's Pride, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Womyn, Words, Writing is a Right, Years, Young black female photographers, Young Black Women and Photography, Young female photographers from Aurora, Young talent, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth, Youth voices | 10 Comments

2014 Oct. 7: Robbed while shooting

by Lerato Dumse A day meant to be filled with photography adventure which is historical educational turned bad, when three photographers were robbed of their camera, on  the 10th July 2014 in Soweto. Lindeka Qampi (45) facilitator, Thando Methane (17) … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Cape Town Month of Photography, Aurora Girls High School, Broad day light, Captioned, Captured, Career, Caring citizens, Caring for our female youth, Case opened, Celebration, Characters, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community outreach, Community work, Conference, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contributors, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Creative Writing, Crime, Crime rate, Crimes, Cry the Beloved Queer Mother of the Nation, Crying, Cultural activists, Culture, Culture of reading and writing, Delegation, Democracy, Details, Different positions, disappearance, Discussion, Family, Fear, Frightened, Intellectualism, lunged, Mine, More than 67 mins, Panic, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Poverty, Robbed, Robbery, Scared, Seeking help, Self defense, Self recognition, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Silent voices, Social responsibility, Society, Socio-economic, Solidarity, South African Visible Arts, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, South African Youth, Soweto, Space, Spana is a slang which means to work, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Style, Support, Supporting each other, Survivor, Teaching, Tears, Teenagers, Testimonies from Aurora photographers, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thando Methane, Thugs, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Transcription, Translation, Undermined, Valerie Thomas, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Woman, Womanhood, Women suffering, Women's power, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Youth, Youth voices | 3 Comments

2014 Oct. 5: “The best day of their lives”

by Mlungisi Msomi The day I married my best friend changed my life forever! Everyone always says their wedding day is “the best day of their lives” and I believe it was for me as well… but it seems like … Continue reading

Posted in Allies, Alternative family, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Articles, Black Queer & Gifted, Body, Bonding, Brave, Civil Union in South Africa, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Cultural activists, Description, Lesotho, Lindeka Qampi, Love, Memories, Memory, Mlungisi Msomi & Sekara Mafisa, Power of the Voice, Prayer, Praying, Reflection, Relationship, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Same sex marriage, Sotho, South African Visual Activism, Style, Stylish, Support, Traditional clothing, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, Zulu is a language, Zulu is a South African language, Zulu tradition | 2 Comments

2014 Oct. 2: Long trip to Cape Town from Johannesburg

Photo album by Nonhlanhla Maluleka (17) from Aurora Girls High – 2014 Photo XP young female photographers…   Passing De Doorns informal settlements on way to Cape Town       De Doorns II   Breasted mountains of the Western … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Cape Town Fringe, 2014 Oct. 2 Cape Times article, 2014 Photo XP, Cape Town, Conference, Consideration, educator at Aurora Girls High School, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Facilitation, Facilitators, Facing You, Family, Feelings, Female being, Income generation, Independence, Inkanyiso media, Interpretation, Invisibility, Mainstream media, More than 67 mins, Nonhlanhla Maluleka, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Presentations, Professionals, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Reflection, Relationships, relative, Remembering, Reports, Respect, Respected person, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, SA mainstream media, Seeing difference, Self love, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Social responsibility, Society, South Africa, South African art, South African struggle, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, South African Youth, Speaking for ourselves, State of Art, Struggling activist, Students, Studying, Style, Stylish, Subject of Art, Support, Survivor, Teaching, Teaching young women photography, Testimonies from Aurora photographers, The Castle, Together we can, Togetherness, Translation, Transparency, Victim of hate crime, Videography, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Activist in the classroom, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here | 4 Comments