South African Zanele Muholi makes history with prestigious global photography award

South African visual activist Zanele Muholi has become the first Black queer South African to win the prestigious Hasselblad Award.

The internationally acclaimed photographer says of winning one of the world’s most respected honours in photography, 'it means that the world is hearing us' and likens it to being the 'Nobel Prize of the photography world'.

The award recognises Muholi’s body of work documenting Black LGBTQIA+ communities.

"The struggle of so many years is heard now... the more we get this recognition, the better."

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Muholi's work has helped bring global attention to issues of identity, visibility and dignity.

The Hasselblad Award, presented in Sweden, is one of the world’s most respected prizes in photography.

It was first awarded in 1980 and honours photographers who have made a 'significant impact on the art form.'

According to the Hasselblad Foundation website, the award recognises photographers whose work has pushed creative boundaries, influenced other photographers and contributed important projects to the global photography community.

Muholi say it is their wish that South Africa would recognise and respect its own creatives.

"Because they matter, they are doing a great job, and people shouldn't be discriminated against or sidelined simply because of telling their truth."

Muholi, who grew up in Umlazi, says the recognition is not just personal but deeply connected to the communities that have shaped their work, adding that the award is not just theirs, but belongs to the entire LGBTQIA+ community.

"It's for the Black and trans and queer communities in South Africa. It's a very, very important recognition."

The award will also be marked with a major solo exhibition later this year in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Hasselblad Foundation’s citation regarding the  Hasselblad Award laureate 2026, Zanele Muholi:

Zanele Muholi stands as one of the most influential contemporary photographers, with an impact that reaches far beyond the art world.  They use portraiture to articulate and celebrate the presence, depth, and dignity of the Black LGBTQIA+ community in South Africa and the rest of the world. Born in 1972 during the apartheid regime, they are highly aware of the power of narration in the face of systematic violence. Muholi’s photographs are formally compelling, employing composition, colour, greyscale, and lighting to create an adept visual language that holds both strength and vulnerability. The portraits foreground individuals with a direct and dignified gaze, challenging prejudice and discrimination while creating alternative visual histories. Activism and community work are an integral part of their practice, which combines political urgency and formal mastery, making Muholi a central figure in global queer visual culture.

To listen to Muholi in conversation with 702's Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: