Zaza Hlalethwa

Creator

Zaza Hlalethwa

Zaza Hlalethwa studies Digital Democracy, New Media and Political Activism, and Digital Politics.

Laverne Cox as seen in the new Netflix documentary, ‘Disclosure’. (Ava Benjamin Shorr/Netflix.)

The things Hollywood taught us to think about trans existences

Disclosure, a Netflix documentary examines the world’s transphobic legacy as portrayed in film and television from as early as 1901

Zaza Hlalethwa

Helping hand: Nelisiwe Xaba’s performance lecture ‘Bang Bang Wo’ examines the baggage that comes with help. ( Stella Olivier/ The Centre For The Less Good Idea)

The cyclical politics of help

Black women and trans artists are worthy of support but it should not come with terms and restrictions

Zaza Hlalethwa

Instagram users spent June 2 reflecting on ways to support the black community by posting black squares onto their feeds.

Online allyship: a broken game of do like I do

The idea of displaying solidarity by posting a black square on Instagram hijacked the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag with a performative display of allyship

Zaza Hlalethwa

Jarring work: Mamela Nyamza’s Pest Control will be showing online at the National Arts Festival from June 25. (Ntombi Shabangu)

ARTS AND CULTURE RELIEF FUND

Fighting a way out of Covid-19

Artists are trying new ways of working, with few of them able to access state relief funds

Zaza Hlalethwa
Kwanele Sosibo

We Wanted a Revolution – Black Radical Women, 1965-85 (Duke University Press)

The List: A peek at the Stevenson library

Stevenson gallery staff took to Instagram to share a small selection of literature guiding their “respective journeys towards listening, learning and confronting bias”

Zaza Hlalethwa

Shhh: Pat and Terry kept their relationship a secret for decades for fear
of reprisals from the state, family and colleagues. Photo: Netflix

Tell black queer love stories also

A Secret Love is a fine depiction of white queer romance, but it lacks global resonance

Zaza Hlalethwa

A work by ruby onyinyechi amanze. Her show, ‘The Ones that Stayed’ will be presented online this month

The List: Things to do, watch and learn

We round up the best online entertainment and activities to keep you busy this weekend

Zaza Hlalethwa

Hooking us in: ‘Untitled (Jordan 1s)’. Ramkilawan likes to immortalise memories in her work. ( Talia Ramkilawan)

Talia Ramkilawan’s tapestries: When making is its own medicine

Talia Ramkilawan uses rug hooking to create her portraits, which aim to subvert trauma

Zaza Hlalethwa

A work from Udludlilali by Mawande Ka Zenzile

BACK OF THE MOON

The Virtual Lists

For good vibes and an arts fix from your home, watch this

Zaza Hlalethwa

Digital is the new black: Designs from The Bam Collective (left), Research Unit and Judith Atelier that were featured in virtual runway shows for South African Fashion Week’s 2020 autumn/winter season

How the clothing industry is adapting now that runways are out of fashion

The fashion business is going digital to attract consumers in the absence of being able to physically parade its wares

Zaza Hlalethwa

Trippy: A screenshot from animated series The Midnight Gospel, the hilariously dark, gory and apocalyptic content we signed up for

Bored in the house streaming list

Bored in the house? Here’s a list of shows and talks to binge on while you wait to go outside

Zaza Hlalethwa

Utility is the keyword: Robyn Keyser says that, since the lockdown began, she has become hyperaware and started to question her material possessions and the clothes she designs (Anne Halbedel)

44 STANLEY AVENUE

Artclub and Friends: “Every purchase is a vote”

Founder Robyn Keyser chats to us about how she and her utilitarian fashion brand are surviving the lockdown

Zaza Hlalethwa

Written and published under 50 days, the Corona Chronicles feature the work of more than 40 contributors. (Melinda Books)

ESSENTIAL WORKERS

Writers on lockdown

Melinda Ferguson has gathered essays and stories from 40-plus contributors for Corona Chronicles

Zaza Hlalethwa

With there being no takeaways available, the writer has been using her time under lockdown to reestablish her relationship with cooking. (Delwyn Verasamy)

Look, mama, I’m cooking

Zaza Hlalethwa tries out her mom’s recipes during the lockdown, and finds her own place in the kitchen

Zaza Hlalethwa

Būjin says her debut single ‘Weird Venom’ is a slow-brewed-revolt against fear and drama. (Elijah Ndoumbe)

Būjin on spitting ‘Weird Venom’

Dani Kyengo O’Neill has just released her first solo single. It’s a mantra. An anthem. A daily devotion. A queer prayer. Listen to it

Zaza Hlalethwa