Panama City, Panama – January, 2026 – Visual activist and photographer Zanele Muholi, in collaboration with Casa Santa Ana, supported by Panama’s Ministry of Culture, is proud to announce Amalanga awafani (Days are not the same), an exhibition bringing together seminal works from the ongoing series Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness) and Faces and Phases. Curated by Ruth Motau, the presentation will open to the public from January 24 to April 19, 2026 hosted at Casa Santa Ana.
Presented as part of the month-long Muholi Art Institute (MAI) Mobile Art in Residency in Panama, Amalanga awafani reflects the shifting conditions of safety, visibility, and belonging that shape Black queer lives. Each portrait marks a specific moment in time, acknowledging that identity, dignity, and survival are never constant. In Faces and Phases, begun in 2006 and now comprising over 600 works, Muholi archives and celebrates the lives of Black lesbians, transgender, and gender non-conforming individuals across South Africa, Panama, the United Kingdom, the United States, Portugal, and Brazil. “Faces” refers to the subjects themselves; “phases” signals transitions in sexuality, gender expression, ageing, education, work, and marriage. As Muholi states: “It is important to mark, map and preserve our mo(ve)ments through visual histories for reference and posterity so that future generations will note that we were here.”
In Somnyama Ngonyama, initiated in 2012, Muholi turns the camera inward, creating stark, high-contrast self-portraits that reclaim Blackness and challenge the politics of race and representation. Using everyday materials, clothing pegs, toothpaste, Vaseline, or plastic sourced from their immediate surroundings, Muholi constructs improvised archetypes that speak to personal and collective histories of exclusion, displacement, and ongoing racism. “Portraiture is my daily prayer,” Muholi reflects. “This is no longer about me; it is about every female body that ever existed in my family. That never imagined that these dreams were possible.”
“On behalf of the Ministry of Culture, we want to celebrate the arrival of Zanele Muholi to Casa Santa Ana, an exhibition that opens a forum for dialogue and inclusion. Supporting these initiatives is essential for building a culture which reflects all voices and realities in our society,” said María Eugenia Herrera, Panamanian Minister of Culture.
Zanele Muholi says: “Amalanga awafani reminds us that no two days carry the same weight. In Panama, through these portraits and this gathering of voices and bodies, we assert presence, complexity, and joy in the face of erasure. I am deeply grateful to Casa Santa Ana for creating space for this conversation to unfold.”
Ruth Motau, curator, adds: “Bringing Somnyama Ngonyama and Faces and Phases together under the title Amalanga awafani reveals the profound interconnections between self-representation and communal
archiving. Muholi’s work insists on visibility as both personal act and political necessity, and this presentation in Panama extends that insistence across continents and lived experiences.”
“Casa Santa Ana was founded to connect people through contemporary art and to engage critically with the social realities of our time. Amalanga awafani reflects this mission by bringing Muholi’s work into dialogue with Panama’s own contexts, while fostering inclusion, visibility, and cross-cultural exchange,” concludes Carolina Hausmann, director of Casa Santa Ana.
The exhibition’s opening night will also feature a special performance fusing South African operatic voice with contemporary dance choreographed by Lusanda Dayimani, embodying Muholi’s commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and the convergence of visual, sonic, and kinetic art forms.
Amalanga awafani will be on view at Casa Santa Ana from January 24 to April 19, 2026. Admission is free.
Released by Kwathole Conexion on Behalf of MUHOLI Art Institute (MAI) and Casa Santa Ana.
#MAIpanama2026
Editors Notes:
About Zanele Muholi:
Zanele Muholi is a South African visual activist whose photographic practice centres Black LGBTQIA+ lives. Their work has been exhibited internationally, including at Tate Modern, the Venice Biennale, and documenta. Muholi is the founder of the Muholi Art Institute (MAI).
About Casa Santa Ana:
Casa Santa Ana is a non-profit foundation that connects people through contemporary art, seeking to understand current contexts and to build a stronger, more inclusive community.
Founded in 2015 by Johnny Roux, organizes exhibitions, publications, workshops, residencies, and community programs with the intention of making art accessible and relevant to everyone.
Visit: https://casasantaana.org/