Published by Prestel in 2010, “Faces and Phases” is the groundbreaking debut of Zanele Muholi’s long-term portrait project. This volume introduces a series of stark, beautiful black-and-white portraits of Black lesbians and transgender individuals in South Africa, a community Muholi describes as “black diamonds.” The work is an intentional act of visual activism, providing a permanent and dignified record of a community facing severe discrimination and violence. By focusing on the individual “faces” and the various “phases” of their lives, Muholi challenges the heteronormative gaze and the erasure of queer identities in African society. Accompanied by intimate testimonies and an essay by Gabeba Baderoon, this book is a seminal document of human rights and contemporary documentary photography.
