Visual activist and photographer Zanele Muholi has unveiled Amalanga awafani, an exhibition that reflects the shifting conditions of safety, visibility and belonging shaping Black queer lives across different geographies.
Through photography, Muholi continues to document, honour and celebrate Black LGBTQIA+ communities.
The exhibition is presented in collaboration with Casa Santa Ana, with support from Panama’s Ministry of Culture, and brings together works from the long-running series Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness) and Faces and Phases.
Curated by Ruth Motau, the exhibition opens to the public from 24 January to 19 April 2026 at Casa Santa Ana, as part of the month-long Muholi Art Institute Mobile Art in Residency in Panama.
The highly anticipated opening night will also feature a special interdisciplinary performance, combining South African operatic voice with contemporary dance choreographed by Lusanda Dayimani.
This will also reflect the activist’s ongoing commitment to dialogue across visual, sonic and kinetic art forms.
Speaking about the essence of the exhibition, Muholi says, “It is important to mark, map and preserve our mo(ve)ments through visual histories for reference and posterity so that future generations will note that we were here,” she says.
“Portraiture is my daily prayer. This is no longer about me; it is about every female body that ever existed in my family that never imagined that these dreams were possible.”
The artist also expresses gratitude to Casa Santa Ana for the platform. While also reflecting on the exhibition, Muholi adds:
“Amalanga awafani reminds us that no two days carry the same weight. In Panama, through these portraits and this gathering of voices and bodies, we assert presence, complexity, and joy in the face of erasure. I am deeply grateful to Casa Santa Ana for creating space for this conversation to unfold.”
Curator Ruth Motau described the exhibition as a convergence of personal and collective histories.
“Bringing Somnyama Ngonyama and Faces and Phases together under the title Amalanga awafani reveals the profound interconnections between self-representation and communal archiving. Muholi’s work insists on visibility as both a personal act and a political necessity, and this presentation in Panama extends that insistence across continents and lived experiences.”
Carolina Hausmann, director of Casa Santa Ana, added:
“Casa Santa Ana was founded to connect people through contemporary art and to engage critically with the social realities of our time. Amalanga awafani reflects this mission by bringing Muholi’s work into dialogue with Panama’s own contexts, while fostering inclusion, visibility, and cross-cultural exchange.”
Panama’s Minister of Culture, María Eugenia Herrera, welcomed the exhibition, saying:
“On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, we want to celebrate the arrival of Zanele Muholi to Casa Santa Ana, an exhibition that opens a forum for dialogue and inclusion. Supporting these initiatives is essential for building a culture which reflects all voices and realities in our society.”
Saturday Star