Zanele Muholi (South African, born 1972) Ngizwile, 2021 (unframed)
Provenance : Provenance Acquired directly from the artist's studio; A private collection. In an exciting evolution from their iconic series of photographs, the present work by Zanele Muholi displays another side to the artist's dynamic and endless creativity. As a visual activist, championing black and LGBTQIA+ lives and voices, key themes of the artist's life and work embody power, reclaim, and presence. This is clearly supported in Muholi's artistic and business life, founding the Inkanyiso media forum and creating dynamic works of art championing the existence of their community. Ngizwile, 2021 displays a large-scale portrait, coherent to the monochromatic tendencies of the artist's photographs, yet decidedly different given the red paint use on the ambiguously gendered subject's eyes. The free brushstrokes allow a vivacious freedom and movement in the work, providing us with a near metaphysical presentation of the subject. Created during the Covid-19 pandemic, it could be argued that this painting characterises the fear and isolation felt by many. In the same way that the artist responds to discrimination of the marginalised communities in their oeuvre, the present work displays their response to navigating the complexities and challenges faced by society in the new world that the pandemic has created.
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