Celebrated visual activist Zanele Muholi showcases their monumental exhibition Faces and Phases at Tate Modern’s Natalie Bell Building, offering a poignant and empowering exploration of South Africa’s Black lesbian, gay, trans, queer, and intersex communities. Running through January 26, 2025, the exhibition features over 260 photographs spanning Muholi’s career and illuminating their commitment to documenting and celebrating marginalized identities.
Since the early 2000s, Muholi has used photography as a tool for activism, capturing love, intimacy, and the resilience of LGBTQIA+ individuals while challenging prejudice and systemic erasure. The Faces and Phases series, begun in 2006, includes striking gelatin silver portraits in which participants confront the viewer’s gaze, reclaiming their visibility and agency. These images are accompanied by testimonies that chronicle the courage and authenticity of those who defy societal oppression.
Among Muholi’s other pivotal works are Only Half the Picture, a series that juxtaposes tender moments with images alluding to the traumas faced by the queer community, and Brave Beauties, which celebrates empowered non-binary people and trans women. In Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness), Muholi turns the lens on themself, using self-portraiture to address the politics of race, labor, and Eurocentrism. These reflective images challenge colonial narratives while exploring themes of identity, racism, and resilience.
Inspired by 18th-century botanical illustrations that often decontextualized flora, Muholi draws a parallel between these depictions and the erasure of Black queer individuals in contemporary discourse. Despite increased visibility, the exhibition critiques how representation in Western contexts often overlooks the systemic oppression and violence faced by these communities.
By portraying their subjects with dignity and strength, Muholi’s work uplifts voices that are frequently silenced, creating a testament to the diversity and vibrancy of Black queer life. This exhibition is both a call to action and a celebration of authenticity, urging viewers to question societal norms and confront deeply ingrained prejudices.
Faces and Phases is located on Level 3 of the Natalie Bell Building at Tate Modern, Bankside, London. For more information, visit Tate Modern’s website.
