“Bester I, Mayotte” (2015)Courtesy of the Artist and Stevenson, Cape Town/Johannesburg and Yancey Richardson, New York © Zanele Muholi

See Zanele Muholi’s stunning portraits of South African LGBTI life IRL

The artist’s first major UK exhibition arrives at the Tate Modern in November

The first major UK exhibition of South African visual artist and activist Zanele Muholi is coming to the Tate Modern.

Since the early 00s, Muholi has used film and photography as a tool to elevate Black LGBTI people in South Africa. The exhibition will feature 260 photographs, from their very first body of work Only Half the Picture to the ongoing series Somnyama Ngonyama.

Muholi’s work interrogates dominant ideologies and representations, “presenting the participants in their photographs as fellow human beings bravely existing in the face of prejudice, intolerance, and often violence”.

As part of Dazed’s partnership with the Tate, we’re offering readers an exclusive 241 ticket offer – more details of which are below.

Also exhibited is Brave Beauties, which celebrates empowered non-binary people and trans women, many of whom have won Miss Gay Beauty pageants, and Being, a series of tender images of couples which challenge stereotypes and taboos.

“Talking about photography specifically and the need to capture images of ourselves, of our lives, is not necessarily about beauty per se, it’s about the need of documenting realities of people who deserve to be heard, who deserve to be seen and whose lives are often excluded as part of the Canon,” Muholi said previously.

“I want people to understand our existence and presence, to say, 'we exist’. So that existence comes with a visibility that is positive,” Muholi added.

Zanele Muholi runs at the Tate Modern from 5 November 2020 – 7 March 2021. Find out more information here

Dazed is a media partner for the forthcoming exhibition. Do make use of an exclusive two-for-one ticket offer. Enter code: DAZED241 when booking online or call 020 7887 8888 and quote ‘DAZED241’. This offer is valid to use between Tuesday October 20 and end on Wednesday November 4, 2020.  Available on full price tickets to the Zanele Muholi exhibition at Tate Modern between November 5, 2020 and March 7, 2021 (Tickets usually £13). This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts or promotions. No cash alternatives. Subject to availability. The promoter reserves the right to cancel offers at any time. Ticket offer cannot be used for group bookings.

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