{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1240314"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1240314/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB6175/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB6175/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NB6175","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1240314","accessionNumber":"E.427-2011","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Amogelang Senokwane, District Six, Cape Town","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"Faces and Phases","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"Zanele Muholi's work addresses the sexual and gender identity of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, and transgender in South Africa by challenging the traditional documentary of black LGBTQIA+ people in photography.  In the series Faces and Phases, Muholi aims to reflect a more representative society by photographing individuals across the spectrum from soccer player to dancer, a scholar to a human rights activist.  Having been excluded from any formal gay rights movement until post-Apartheid, Muholi attempts to address the issues of violation and prejudice these communities still face.","physicalDescription":"Black and white gelatin silver print photographic portrait of a woman wearing a flat cap and white shirt looking out toward the viewer","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Zanele Muholi","id":"AUTH315967"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Zanele Muholi","id":"AUTH315967"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":"Zanele Muholi is one of the most acclaimed photographers working today. They have documented and celebrated the lives of South Africa’s Black LGBTQIA+ communities, and their work exposes the persistent violence and discrimination they face. Portraiture is a strong feature in their practice, and Muholi has also turned the camera on themself in their sustained engagement with themes of labour, racism, Eurocentrism and sexual politics. Describing themself as a visual activist, Muholi’s self-proclaimed mission is \"to re-write a black queer and trans visual history of South Africa for the world to know of our resistance and existence at the height of hate crimes in SA and beyond.\" Through evocative and positive imagery, Muholi hopes to offset the stigma and negativity attached to queer identity in African society."}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gelatin silver print","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"},{"text":"Gender and Sexuality","id":"THES48940"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2021NB6175"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"514","id":"THES49549"},"free":"","case":"COS","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Cape Town","id":"x38584"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Michael Stevenson gallery, Cape Town, 2011","dimensions":[{"dimension":"height","value":"86.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Paper","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"60.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Paper","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"76.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Image","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"50.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Image","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Included in exhibition 'Figures & Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography' at the V&A, 12 April - 17 July 2011","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gelatin silver print photographic portrait,  'Amogelang Senokwane, District Six, Cape Town' from the series 'Faces and Phases' by Zanele Muholi, Cape Town, 2009 ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Figures and Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography","id":"AUTH318336"},"details":"Germany: Steidl, 2011","free":"image appears on page 188/189"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"\nThe following excerpt is from a blog written by the sitter on their life experiences,  identity, and work with Muholi. It was posted online on August 23rd, 2013 at  www.inkanyiso.org, a website conceptualized by Muholi in 2006 as a platform for  Queer activism and media:\r\n\r\n\r\nMy name is Amogelang Precious Senokwane, the only daughter of the late Dimakatso Senokoane and Ralebese Ruiter. I was born on the 3rd March, 1987 at Hoopstad Hospital in Free State (FS).\r\nMy earliest memories of being a lesbian perhaps go as far back as my toddler years.\r\nFor as long as I can remember, I have always been a tomboy.  I enjoyed playing soccer with the guys, building wired cars and playing house (mantlwane). I would always be the father and it was all normal to me. \r\nI do think though I am doing a decent job looking after myself in this current climate of hatred towards the LGBTI community in South Africa. I stay in a very quiet suburb where everybody is minding their own business so I feel pretty safe.  I have not met people who have a problem with me or my sexuality.   If they then they do a pretty good job at hiding it.  I am a Butch lesbian, so I know that I am conspicuous. I feel more comfortable in male clothing, I feel whole. Although I look good in women`s clothing, I am not comfortable wearing it.  My sexual orientation is important to me because this is my core – it is me.  There will never be another Amogelang Precious Senokwane after this one has passed away. There’s a saying that goes “Always be you because everyone else is taken.” I understand that outwardly Amo is a woman and at the end of the day I am proud of the fact that I am a Black, Proud, Confident and Successful Lesbian.\r\nI believe in what we are doing to stay visible and never muted.  This is why I became part of the Faces and Phases series.  Faces and Phases has helped me a lot, because when my family saw the book and saw me and other lesbian there, it made them more proud of me and made them understand that there are other lesbians out there and we are here to stay.\r\nMy photo was also used in the Sowetan newspaper for an article. It boosted my confidence to another level.  A lot of people became curious and wanted to know more about my life and our lives as the black LGBTI community. A lot of lesbians especially in my home town became free and a couple of my friends saw my photo in the book and saw how proud I was of being me, it gave them the courage to come out and live their lives.\r\nTwo of them are being featured in the next edition of Faces and Phases (2006 – present), which is huge for us. We all come from a small town and yet we are conquering great mountains. I hope this project will help a lot of other lesbians and gays to realize their inner strength and live their lives. My final words would be that remember life may lead you where you least expected, but have faith.  You are exactly where you are supposed to be.\r\n"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Limited edition","id":"THES48862"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"lesbian","id":"THES266897"},{"text":"homophobia","id":"THES266892"},{"text":"homosexual","id":"THES266894"},{"text":"butch","id":"THES266829"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"homosexuality","id":"AAT55188"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"<b>Known and Strange: Photographs from the Collection (2021-2022)\r\nPhotography Centre, Gallery 101</b>\r\n\r\nZanele Muholi (born 1972)\n\r\nNosipho 'Brown' Solundwana, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2007\r\nSosi Molotsane, Yeoville, Johannesburg, 2007\r\nBakhambile Skhosana, Natalspruit, 2010\r\nAmogelang Senokwane, District Six, Cape Town, 2009\n\r\nFrom the series Faces and Phases, 2007–10\n\r\nMuholi’s work exposes the persistent violence and discrimination faced by the South African Black LGBTQIA+ community. Describing themself as a visual activist, for this ongoing series, Muholi photographed over 300 Black people living in South Africa who identify as lesbian, queer, trans or gender non-conforming. The portraits and their accompanying testimonies celebrate and empower each participant and, in Muholi’s words, are ‘a visual statement and an archive, marking, mapping and preserving an often invisible community for posterity’. \n\r\nGelatin silver prints\r\nMuseum nos. E.426-2011 to E.429-2011\r\n","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["E.427-2011"],"accessionNumberNum":"427","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2011,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"4/8","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2011-08-22","availableToBook":false}}