Visibility and resistance: Zanele Muholi named 2026 Hasselblad Award laureate

Renowned South African contemporary photographer Zanele Muholi has been named the 2026 Hasselblad Award laureate.

Awarded by the Hasselblad Foundation, the prize is recognised as the world’s largest photography award. It consists of SEK 2,000,000 (approximately $190,000), a gold medal, and a Hasselblad camera.

In a statement to the Hasselblad Foundation, Muholi dedicated the achievement to the communities featured in their work:

“This prize is not mine alone. I carry it with the many faces, names, and histories that have trusted me with their stories. From Umlazi to every space where Black LGBTQIA+ people continue to fight to exist freely, this recognition affirms that our lives are worthy of being seen – not as statistics, not as shadows, but as full human beings."

Muholi emphasised that their career has been defined by the creation of a permanent archive for those often marginalised. "For years, my work has been about visibility and resistance... I receive it on behalf of my community; those who have been erased, those who are still here, and those who are yet to see themselves reflected with dignity."

Kalle Sanner, CEO of the Hasselblad Foundation, praised Muholi’s unique intersection of art and social justice.

“In their artistic practice, Muholi combines photography with activism, creating powerful and significant works in which human rights are central,” Sanner said. “We look forward to presenting an extensive selection of their work this autumn at the Hasselblad Center.”

The 2026 Hasselblad Award Week will feature several high-profile events in Sweden:

Oct 9: Formal award ceremony.

Oct 10 – April 4, 2027: Solo exhibition at the Hasselblad Center in Gothenburg.

Oct 13: Artist talk at Moderna Museet in Stockholm.

Additional events: A seminar with the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland, a concert with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and a book launch.

Born in Umlazi, Muholi is an Honorary Professor at the University of the Arts (Hochschule für Künste Bremen). They are represented by Southern Guild Gallery in Cape Town and Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York.

For over a decade, Muholi has documented the lives of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people living in South African townships. Their work has been exhibited at prestigious global institutions, including:

Tate Modern, London

Venice Biennale

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris

Muholi is no stranger to international acclaim, having previously received the ICP Spotlights Award (2022), the Spectrum International Prize for Photography (2020), and the Lucie Award for Humanitarian Photography (2019).