The Hasselblad Foundation, the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland and the University of Gothenburg invite you to a morning with Zanele Muholi and contributors from the fields of art, academia and practical democratic work.

 

In the seminar The Mechanisms of Exclusion, you will meet Zanele Muholi in an artist talk, followed by a broader conversation on photography, representation, democracy, archives and the political significance of being seen.

 

Artist talk with Zanele Muholi
Zanele Muholi is one of the most influential photographers of our time. Through their visually powerful portraits, they make visible and celebrate the experiences and dignity of Black LGBTQIA+ communities in South Africa and around the world. Born in 1972 under the apartheid regime, Muholi carries a deep awareness of the power of storytelling in the face of oppression and discrimination. Activism and working closely with people are integral to their artistic practice.

 

About the participants

 

Mark Sealy
Professor Mark Sealy is Executive Director of Autograph and Professor of Photography, Rights and Representation at University of the Arts London, London College of Communication. He is currently serving as the Artistic Director of the Triennial of Photography Hamburg 2026.

 

Frida Stranne
Frida Stranne is Associate Professor in Peace and Development Studies at Halmstad University. Her research focuses on U.S. foreign and security policy, international relations, and the changing global order. She is the author and co-author of several books, including Supermakten: Vad alla svenskar bör veta om USA and Illusionen om den amerikanska freden.

 

Jonelle Twum
Jonelle Twum is the founder and artistic director of Black Archives Sweden. She is also an artist and filmmaker whose practice spans film, installation, text and theory.

 

Sten Tolgfors
Sten Tolgfors, former Minister for Defence and Minister for Trade, has served as County Governor of Västra Götaland since 2022.

 

Moderator: Amat Levin
Amat Levin is a journalist and author from southern Stockholm. He has written regularly for Sveriges Radio and Dagens Nyheter, is the author of the books Slumpens barn (2020) and Svart historia (2022), and hosts the politics and popular culture podcast Så vad händer?.

 

Date: 8 October 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Place: Universitetsplatsen 1
Number of seats: 400
free admission

 

Registration deadline: 1 October 2026

 

Please register for the seminar here.

 

Read more about the seminar at University of Gothenburgs website.

 

 

Hasselblad Award Seminar is a recurring seminar series organised in connection with the Hasselblad Award. The seminar brings together artists, researchers, writers and representatives of public institutions in conversations on photography, society and democracy.

 

This year’s seminar explores how images, archives, institutions and public narratives help shape who is seen, who is listened to, and whose experiences are recognised as part of shared public life.

 

Image:

Zanele Muholi photo: Ikram Abdulkadir
Mark Sealy photo: Shona Illingworth
Frida Stranne photo: Nathalie Bèsér
Jonelle Twum photo: Ikram Abdulkadir
Sten Tolgfors photo: Henrik Brunnsgård
Amat Levin photo: Louise Helmfrid