South African photographer and visual artist Zanele Muholi has been announced as the winner of the prestigious Hasselblad Award for 2026, one of the world's most important awards for artistic photography.
Muholi, who identifies as non-binary, joins a long list of great names in photography such as Carrie Mae Weems, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Wolfgang Tillmans, Sophie Calle, as well as historical pioneers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Ansel Adams.
However, the artist says she doesn't see this award as a personal victory. For her, it is a recognition for underrepresented communities, especially the Black LGBTQIA+ community in Africa. According to her, her success is closely linked to the people and community that have supported her throughout her life.
A childhood during Apartheid
Muholi was born in 1972 in the Umlazi suburb near the city of Durban, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, during one of the most violent periods of the racist Apartheid system.
She vividly remembers the racial segregation of the time. Her mother worked as a domestic worker for a white family and was often away from home for long periods.
“I remember the swimming pools in the houses where my mother worked – pools where I couldn’t swim,” Muholi recalls. “She would tell me not to go near them, because she might get in trouble with her employers.”
She also remembers beaches segregated by race, dogs trained to attack black people, and the discriminatory education system for the black population.
Art as a mission
For nearly three decades, Muholi has used photography to document the lives and identities of queer communities in South Africa. One of her most popular projects is the photo series Faces and Phases, which portrays members of the LGBTQ+ community and their role in society.
According to her, photography should not distort reality, as was often the case in colonial images of Africa. For this reason, she strives to present her subjects with dignity and beauty, always giving them an identity and a name.
Portraits that challenge stereotypes
Another of her well-known series is Somnyama Ngonyama, which means “Greetings, Dark Lioness” in isiZulu. In these self-portraits, Muholi appears in unusual clothing and objects – from clothespins to bicycle tires – to challenge traditional concepts of beauty and fashion.
She explains that what is considered fashionable in the West may actually be part of the rituals and traditions of African cultures.
In the face of challenges and hatred
In 2012, her Cape Town home was burgled and more than 20 hard drives containing her artwork were stolen. The thieves left behind expensive equipment, leading the artist to suspect a homophobic motive.
However, Muholi did not give up. She continued to create and document the stories of her community, seeing photography as a tool to fight injustice.
“Photography is a responsibility,” she says. “It’s a way to change everything that is unfair to our bodies and our identities.”
Zanele Muholi's works will be exhibited at the Hasselblad Center from October 10, as part of the exhibition accompanying the Hasselblad Award 2026. /GazetaExpress/
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