After years of exhibitions in leading global museums and galleries, internationally recognized South African visual activist and artist Zanele Muholi presents a major solo exhibition in her homeland, marking two decades of her visual activism.
Exhibition Opening and Theme
The exhibition 'Alongside You' will take place at Southern Guild in Cape Town on July 18th and will be Muholi's first major solo exposition in South Africa in many years. The exhibition covers more than two decades of creativity, uniting photographs, sculptures, and films that celebrate the lives of Black LGBTQ+ individuals, exploring themes such as identity, memory, resilience, and sense of belonging.
Significance of the Return and Achievements
This showing marks an important return for Muholi, whose work has received international recognition, including being awarded the Hasselblad Prize in 2026. The artist noted: 'Returning home this year feels profound.'
Memory and Historical Events
The exhibition coincides with several personal and national dates. It marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Faces and Phases portrait series, which documents the Black LGBTQ+ community and was created in response to the violence, discrimination, and invisibility faced by members of this community. Furthermore, this year commemorates the twentieth anniversary of the death of Muholi's nephew Nkantiso and friends during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the twentieth anniversary of South Africa's Civil Union Act, the 70th anniversary of the Women's March of 1956, the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising in 1976, and 30 years of democracy.
Exhibition Content
Works named after the isiZulu phrase meaning 'with you,' 'alongside you,' or 'unity' explore themes of identity, memory, visibility, resilience, and collective care. Among the presented pieces are the Faces and Phases series, Only Half the Picture, Being, Mo(u)rning, ZaVa, LiZa, as well as the internationally renowned self-portrait series Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness). The exhibition also includes newly created bronze sculptures dedicated to lineage, vulnerability, protection, and strength.
Archive and the Mission of Art
At the heart of the exhibition is Faces and Phases—an ongoing archive that began in South Africa in 2006 and subsequently expanded internationally, including portraits taken in cities such as London, Porto, Panama City, Los Angeles, Salvador, São Paulo, and Venice. Muholi stated that the goal of this work is to preserve the stories that form part of South Africa's collective history. She emphasized: 'Art is a form of education. Through these images we learn to see, remember, and care for ourselves and others. Every portrait, every sculpture carries a story belonging to our collective history. This is how we build dignity and understanding for future generations.'
Dates of Exhibition
The exhibition will run until September 10th at Southern Guild, Silo 5, V&A Waterfront, offering South Africans a rare opportunity to see one of the country's most influential contemporary artists on home soil.