Campaign to replace
Zanele Muholi’s stolen
photography equipment
On the 28th 26th April, Zanele returned home from Seoul, South Korea to discover that all her work between 2008 and 2012 stored on 20 hard drives and including backups had been stolen on the 20th. The thieves also stole her cameras, lens, memory sticks and laptops. There are no words to describe Zanele’s feelings at this time as an entire original archive of Black queer lesbian history has been destroyed and that impacts on all of us – makes invisible what Zanele has worked so hard to make visible and speak of through her photography.
Zanele has started an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to replace her equipment – PLEASE watch the video and donate what you can
I”ve lost all the work I produced from 2008 – 2012. Also backups were stolen.
I thought of the day I spoke with another friend about alternative storage. Now it is too late.
I feel like a breathing zombie right now.
I don’t even know where to start. I’m wasted.
I’ve sent out a note to friends to tell them about the incident.The person/s got access to the flat via the toilet window, broke the burglar guard and got away with my cameras, lenses, memory cards and external hard drives, laptop, cellphones…
Whoever ransacked the place got away with more than 20 external hard drives with the most valuable content I’ve ever producedI am hoping that a few of my good friends are willing to go to pawn shops or to other places where this type of equipment is sold. I do not even want to know who the thief is.
__________________________
MEDIA IGNORE THEFT
OF PHOTOGRAPHER’S WORK
DOCUMENTING
BLACK LESBIAN LIVES
An award winning photographer who has devoted her working life to documenting the lives of black lesbians has had five years worth of her work stolen
Laura Reynolds
Zanele Muholi, described by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa as "one of the country's foremost artists", had more than 20 external hard drives stolen from her flat in Vredehoek, Cape Town on April 20.
The hard drives contain stills and video footage, including photos from the funerals of victims of homophobic hate crimes. It is thought that the burglars were targeting Muholi's work, as little else was taken from her flat, and back up hard drives were also taken.
Muholi's partner Liesl Theron, with whom she shares the flat, said that her possessions were left untouched, except for a laptop which was stolen, further fuelling belief that Muholi was the intended target of the crime.
The work taken had been captured across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Malawi, according to the Cape Times. Also stolen was work due to be shown at an exhibition in July, which Muholi believes she will now have to cancel.
Despite the volume of work stolen and the imminence of the planned exhibition, Muholi's plight has been largely ignored by the media. It is believed that the lack of publicity is due to the nature of her work, which shows a different side to the black lesbian community than that usually represented in the mainstream media.
"I'm not myself. I can't even sleep at night since I've heard about the burglary," the devastated Muholi told DIVA. She has appealed for anyone who knows the whereabouts of the hard drives to return them.
Queer photographer Del LaGrace Volcano said of the theft; "Zanele's work is, in my not so humble opinion, some of the most important work being produced, not just in Africa, but anywhere. I consider her a dear friend and mourn the loss of her archive as if it were my own."
Zanele's supporters are fundraising to help her replace the stolen equipment. Donations can be made online at IndieGoGo.
The investigation into the burglary is ongoing, according to a police spokesperson.
>via: http://www.divamag.co.uk/category/news/media-ignore-theft-of-photographer’s-work-documenting-black-lesbian-live.aspx