Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Zanele Muholi

Visual Activist & Photographer | Co-Director of Difficult Love | Speaker on Diversity, Equity, and LGBTQIA+ Rights

Zanele Muholi Speaking Fee: $10,000 to $20,000

Visual Activist & Photographer | Co-Director of Difficult Love | Speaker on Diversity, Equity, and LGBTQIA+ Rights

Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Zanele Muholi
Speaking Fee:
$10,000 to $20,000

Travels From:
Contact Us for Primary Airport

Primary Topic Category:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) / Social Justice

Secondary Topic Category:
LGBTQIA

 

Zanele Muholi Speaker Profile: At A Glance

Zanele Muholi is an internationally acclaimed visual activist and photographer known for their powerful work exploring race, gender, and LGBTQIA+ identities. As the co-director of Difficult Love, they have brought global attention to the lived experiences of Black queer communities in South Africa. Their photography has been exhibited at major institutions, including the Tate Modern and the Museum of Modern Art. A recipient of numerous awards, including the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Muholi continues to use art as a tool for advocacy and change.

Zanele Muholi, born in Umlazi, Durban, in 1972, is a renowned South African visual activist and photographer. Identifying as non-binary and using they/them pronouns, Muholi has dedicated their career to documenting and celebrating the lives of Black LGBTQIA+ communities in South Africa. Their work challenges stereotypes and confronts the injustices faced by these communities. Muholi's journey into photography began at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg, where they studied advanced photography from 2001 to 2003. In 2009, they furthered their studies by completing an MFA in Documentary Media at Ryerson University in Toronto. Their thesis project, "Mapping Our Histories," focused on Black lesbian identity and politics in Johannesburg. In 2002, Muholi co-founded the Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW), a Black lesbian organization dedicated to providing a safe space for women to meet and organize. They also founded Inkanyiso in 2009, a platform for queer and visual media. These initiatives reflect Muholi's commitment to creating visibility and representation for marginalized communities. Their photographic series, such as "Faces and Phases," "Brave Beauties," and "Somnyama Ngonyama," have been exhibited internationally, including at prestigious institutions like the Tate Modern in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Through these works, Muholi confronts viewers with the beauty, struggle, and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community, urging a reevaluation of societal norms and prejudices. Muholi's contributions to art and activism have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. They were shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize in 2015 and have been the subject of various documentaries and publications. Muholi continues to use their art as a powerful tool for social change, challenging perceptions and advocating for the rights and recognition of marginalized individuals.
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