For this exercise I have to choose an image by one of four photographers and write two short, 50 word, pieces; the first describing the image and the second how I relate to this work.

The photograph I have chosen is by Zanele Muholi from her 2015 exhibition Somnyama Ngonyama, meaning ‘Hail, the Dark Lioness’

The image is a monochrome head and shoulder portrait of a black woman against a mottled background wearing what looks, at first glance, to be tribal or indigenous dress, however, looking closely, the woman’s headress and earrings are wooden clothes pegs. The most strinking element are the woman’s lips which are painted white.

I think this is a striking self-portrait and I like it in part because it was not created by a white American or European male. I want to know about the signifiance of the two discordant elements; the clothes pegs and in particular the painted white lips.

Self-reflection

Choosing between the four photographers was easy. As I want to try and broaden my knowledge of practioners I chose Zanele Muholi as she comes from a different photographic tradition from most of the photographers I have studied to date. What was more challenging was to try and write about the image using so few words. It may be useful to try this exercise again with a different image as I go through the course to see if writing conscisely about an image becomes easier.

Sources

Muholi, Z. (n.d.). New York: Richardson Gallery. [Accessed 26 Dec. 2019]

Seattleartmuseum.org. (2019). [online] Available at: http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/Documents/PR/Zanele%20Muholi_press%20release.pdf [Accessed 26 Dec. 2019].

AFRICANAH.ORG. (2015). Zanele Muholi: new work – AFRICANAH.ORG. [online] Available at: https://africanah.org/zanele-muholi-new-work/ [Accessed 26 Dec. 2019].