The photographic exhibition I’ll Be Your Mirror is historically and conceptually important, yet it has not received much attention in mainstream South African conversations. Its location in Bram Fischerville, Soweto, and at the Mandebele Photo Gallery, away from major cultural centres, may be one reason. This quiet presence raises questions about who decides what becomes mainstream and why some stories are left out, writes Kolodi Senong
As I entered Bram Fischerville, I felt the calm air mixed with the sounds of Thandiswa Mazwai’s ‘Emini’.
At the Mandebele Photo Gallery, I’ll Be Your Mirror opened on November 8, 2025. The exhibition gives visitors a look at the 1980s through the different perspectives of South African artist William Matlala and Zambian artist Alick Phiri.
Matlala, known for his evocative use of colour, has a deep-rooted interest in portraying the dignity of black people during apartheid in South Africa. Phiri, who specialises in black-and-white photography, brings his experiences from post-colonial Zambia to the forefront, capturing the essence of resilience through his portraits.
Sana Ginwalla, Dr Andrea Stultiens, and Dr Siyabonga Njica curated and developed this collection. Ginwalla is an artist, archivist, lecturer, writer, and founder of the Everyday Lusaka Gallery in Zambia.
The exhibition opened at the Everyday Lusaka Gallery in early 2025, before moving to the Mandebele Photo Gallery later that year. Stultiens, who lives in Rotterdam, is an artist, teacher, and researcher focused on photography in Africa and Europe.
Njica, a cultural historian from South Africa, is currently at the University of Cambridge and provides written context for the images. Driven by a shared mission, they aim to remind society of the enduring struggles mirrored in these images.
“These photographs are a call to acknowledge and address the present by revisiting the past,” Njica notes.
Ledwaba, founder of the Mandebele Photo Gallery, suggested bringing the exhibition to South Africa “so audiences could experience the warmth and feel of the images to remember a past era, especially since many people no longer keep photo albums.”
Khumbulani Gopolang Ledwaba is the founder of the MaNdebele Photo Gallery located in Soweto. Photo. Neo Mkhatshwa
Although the exhibition is historically and conceptually important, it has not received much attention in mainstream South African conversations. Its location in Bram Fischerville and at the Mandebele Photo Gallery, away from major cultural centres, may be one reason.
This quiet presence raises questions about who decides what becomes mainstream and why some stories are left out. Often, these choices reflect old power structures that favour dominant cultural stories over those from less represented groups.
Mainstream art institutions play a significant role in shaping narratives by highlighting certain voices while marginalising others. This perpetuates a cycle where the art world becomes an echo chamber for established perspectives.
By situating the exhibition in Bram Fischerville, I’ll Be Your Mirror actively challenges these dynamics. It provides a platform for artistry that might otherwise remain unseen, encouraging a broader audience to engage with alternative narratives.
The exhibition reminds us to keep thinking about which stories we value and share. Unlike big exhibitions that get extensive media coverage, this show is more low-key, with no major openings or publicity. Here, the power of memory stands out.
Showing the exhibition at Mandebele Photo Gallery brings back memories of South Africa before 1994 and encourages reflection. While the photos date back to the 1980s, they reveal daily struggles that persist today.
Throwback…Photo: William Matlala
I’ll Be Your Mirror highlights class divisions and political loyalties that continue to influence racial inequalities in the country.
The photographs show everyday moments, such as lovers exchanging glances, friends talking, and colleagues taking a break by a wall. Each scene quietly shows a sense of agency. These images reflect the resilience of what Frantz Fanon called the ‘wretched of the earth,’ people trying to stay sane during difficult times.
Fanon’s concept describes the marginalised and oppressed individuals who endure various struggles and injustices. By bringing these moments together, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on how history shapes their lives today.
I’ll Be Your Mirror encourages them to help build a fairer future.
“I wanted to group and sequence the images to reflect the era they were shot in as one,” Ledwaba says.
Phiri’s black-and-white portraits of children and adults in Kanyama’s informal settlement are shown next to Matlala’s colourful photos of working-class life. This contrast highlights two perspectives: the black-and-white images show resilience and perseverance, while the bright colours suggest vibrancy and hope.
In a different time…Alick Phiri
In his portraits, Phiri often uses a close-up composition that draws the viewer’s eye directly to the subject’s face, emphasising raw emotion and determination. The gaze of his subjects is penetrating, often meeting the viewer’s eyes, creating an intimate connection that compels the audience to consider their stories and struggles.
Matlala’s subjects, on the other hand, are carefully dressed and posed in living rooms and on tidy streets, sometimes with a vintage Transvaal plate BMW in the background.
The vibrant compositions are more expansive, allowing viewers to soak in the details of the setting, such as the colourful attire and surroundings, which suggest a narrative of aspiration and resilience.
Some people look directly into the camera, while others look away, hinting at stories left untold. The emotional tones in both the black-and-white and colour photos create a visual conversation. This dialogue crosses borders and decades, inviting viewers to think about these connected histories. By analysing these visual strategies, viewers can engage in a deeper examination of how form and content interact to enhance the meaning of the photographs.
Even though these photos were taken decades ago, their images of black lives and daily struggles feel very immediate and moving. Lusaka was once seen as a symbol of hope for South Africans, a place where freedom seemed possible across the border. Many hoped to reach Zambia to escape discrimination or get ready for resistance. The photos show moments when apartheid affected even the smallest parts of life.
Moment in time…Photo. Erick Phiri
The images depict the cultural and historical realities of both countries, set against the complex relationships among activists and collaborators within the oppressed. This raises an important question: what separates a collaborator from an activist in such difficult times? By showing this complexity, the photos encourage viewers to rethink how they judge actions and intentions during apartheid. As I walk through the gallery, the words,uMandela uthi ayihlome, uMandela uthi ayihlome ihlasele, siyaya ngoMkhonto weSizwe eLusaka, stay with me.
This freedom song was inspired by a supposed message from Nelson Mandela while he was in prison and fighting against apartheid. It does not actually contain a direct message from Mandela to the ANC’s armed wing in Lusaka, but it became an anthem for armed resistance.
Filled with hope, people sang, ululated, and whistled as they dreamed of a future without racism. The strong chorus echoed, and voices sang with urgency, sending the song’s message into the hearts of everyone who heard it.
The apartheid government tried to isolate the oppressed by attacking neighbouring countries with deadly cross-border raids, leaving scars in Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Angola. Zambia, as a frontline supporter of liberation movements, faced threats, economic hardship, and military attacks from South Africa.
One major incident happened when South African forces, disguised as Zambian police, attacked a refugee camp at Makeni near Lusaka and opened fire, showing the ongoing danger Zambians faced. Afterward, more refugees arrived, and liberation movements became even more determined.
On June 14, 1985, South African troops crossed into Botswana, breaking international law, and attacked South Africans in exile in Gaborone. In the years after exiles returned from Lusaka, new struggles for power appeared in South Africa, including organised crime, political manipulation, nepotism, and cadre deployment.
Phiri and Matlala populate the gallery with faces that show joy and calm. But behind these smiles, the photos hide struggles that are not immediately visible. Stultiens changes the visual flow by digitally combining Matlala’s prints, blending two moments into one image.
Days gone by…photo. William Matlala
She selects poses from different photos and layers them to create new compositions that juxtapose moments. This method is intentional; by using digital tools, Stultiens highlights the complex and layered nature of history and identity. In post-apartheid South African photography, double portraits with visible seams often make a political statement.
They show the ongoing process of forming and reconciling identity in the country. Through these artistic choices, Stultiens asks viewers to consider the complexities and contradictions in both personal and shared memories.
Another challenge is that many South Africans depend on social grants for survival. The idea of newfound freedom remains complicated, as militarised policing may still affect the daily lives of many citizens.
Heavy-handed law enforcement is common, particularly in poorer communities. This perceived freedom stands in stark contrast to the world of wealthy politicians and black professionals, who navigate a landscape riddled with corruption. Additionally, these elites often shield the privileged from the harsh daily realities endured by the country’s most vulnerable, creating a dichotomy between hope and persistent tension.
Even in this complicated social and economic setting, exhibitions like ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ help create dialogue and hope. Art encourages viewers to reflect on the past and question the present, sparking conversations that can lead to a fairer future. Art’s power lies in its ability to inspire change, revealing society’s problems and possibilities. When visitors leave the gallery, they take with them not just memories from the photos, but also a renewed sense of purpose and a call to help build a society where freedom and equality are real for everyone.
The exhibition ends on February 7, 2026.
- Kolodi Senong is an artist, researcher, and educator at the Wits School of Education. His research emphasises visual arts pedagogies rooted in indigenous knowledge and explores the lives of peripheral artists as embodied forms of knowledge.
