Shades of Silence: Athenkosi Kwinana, Albinism and the struggle for visibility in South Africa

POSTED ON: February 11, 2025 IN ASAI, Nolan Stevens, Word View, Word View Authors

By Nolan Stevens

In the streets of Johannesburg, under the vibrant chaos of daily life, a quieter battle for recognition unfolds. It is a fight waged not with protests or petitions, but through the paintbrushes, cameras, and canvases of South Africa’s artistic community. For people living with albinism (PWA), their stories are often whispered, their presence seen but not truly acknowledged. And yet, in the growing tide of South African art, albinism is no longer invisible—it is finding its place in the country’s evolving cultural tapestry.

People with albinism in South Africa have long been marginalised, facing a struggle not only with societal exclusion but simultaneously with beauty standards that fail to represent them. In post-apartheid South Africa, these standards are shaped by historical and contemporary biases, such as the colonially entrenched aesthetic norms of the apartheid regime, which favoured a European aesthetic, and subsequently shifted towards a preference for Afrocentric physical traits, once the country ushered in a government which was more representative of the country’s majority demographic. This shift has been consistent in its rejection of the unique appearance of PWA, leaving them caught between Eurocentric and Afrocentric ideals of beauty.

Photograph of artist Athenkosi Kwinana, courtesy Berman Contemporary.

Artist Athenkosi Kwinana knows this struggle all too well. Her latest solo exhibition, Ndijongile, which was housed at the Berman Contemporary Gallery in Johannesburg from 7 September – 20 October 2024, comprised a blend of photography, drawing, mixed-media and installation-based work. Kwinana’s solo exhibition was accompanied by a group exhibition, with both shows falling under the same conceptual umbrella (The title translates into English as “I’m looking”). Thus, Ndijongile fused the artistic abilities of multiple artists to convey a single motivation, serving as more than a display of art; the exhibition was an act of defiance against years of erasure. This exhibition didn’t just portray or represent the work of individuals with albinism—it demanded that viewers see them. Kwinana’s art pulls no punches, offering both a raw celebration of difference and a reflection on the isolation many PWA feel.

Solo exhibition section: colour pencil drawings by Athenkosi Kwinana. Photograph courtesy Berman Contemporary.

The story of albinism in South Africa is one of contradictions. On one hand, those with albinism are hyper-visible, their physical appearance setting them apart in ways they cannot control. On the other, they remain largely invisible in the social, political, and cultural discourse of the nation. In the context of South Africa’s broader racial history, albinism represents a divergence from the conventional understanding of race.

Group exhibition section. Photographic works by Nkanyezi Gumede. Photograph courtesy Berman Contemporary.

This ambiguity has led to years of exclusion, but it’s also created fertile ground for artists like Kwinana to explore the complexities of identity in new ways. Her group exhibition brought together artists and creatives who are also interrogating the societal “othering” of PWA. Photographers like Nkanyezi Gumede capture the delicate moments of affection and tenderness that challenge the stereotype of PWA as isolated figures. His images don’t just humanize—they celebrate.

Group exhibition section. Photographic works by Kamogelo Machaba. Photograph courtesy Berman Contemporary.

Kamogelo Machaba’s work takes a different approach. Using social media and fashion photography, she disrupts the rigid beauty norms that have long excluded PWAs from the mainstream. Her vibrant portraits present albinism not as a difference to be hidden, but as a feature to be embraced. For Machaba, the politics of representation go hand-in-hand with self-love—a message that resonates across a country still grapples with the legacy of apartheid-era beauty standards.

But the journey toward visibility is not just a personal one—it’s cultural. South Africa’s artistic landscape has long been a reflection of its social struggles, from the anti-apartheid resistance to the ongoing fight for equality. And now, the fight for PWA representation is being taken up by both those within the albinism community and allies who see the need to redefine South African beauty and identity.

Group exhibition section. Photographic works by Andile Bhala. Photograph courtesy Berman Contemporary.

Take Andile Bhala, for instance. His township photography focuses not just on PWAs but on the larger African narrative, positioning albinism within the broader context of South African life. Bhala’s images capture the daily realities of his subjects, emphasizing their place within the community rather than as outsiders. His work is a statement that albinism is not an anomaly—it is part of the spectrum of African identity.

Group exhibition section. Photographic works by Siphiwe Vilakazi and Andile Bala. Photograph courtesy Berman Contemporary.

The exploration of albinism in South African art is also about reclaiming the gaze. Historically, PWA have been objects of fascination, curiosity, and often, pity. Photographer Simphiwe Vilakazi’s striking use of colour and contrast challenges this unsolicited gaze. His subjects are not passive—they confront the viewer, reclaiming control over how they are seen. Vilakazi’s work, like that of Kwinana and others, is part of a broader effort to rewrite the narrative around albinism in South Africa.

Group exhibition section. Photographic works by Pieter Hugo. Photograph courtesy Berman Contemporary.

An example of this contextual broadening can be seen in the inclusion in the exhibition of works by photographer Pieter Hugo. Hugo used the albinotic body in a 2003 portrait series which speaks of his own identity struggles as a white African male. The use of the albinotic body by South African artists to comment on race and identity also has precedents such as Marlene Dumas’ painting Albino (1986).

In a country where the struggle for recognition has always been deeply political, the representation of PWA is about more than just aesthetics. It is about belonging. For too long, PWA has existed on the fringes, their stories untold, their lives unexamined. But through art, their voices are beginning to be heard.

Kwinana’s intervention is a powerful reminder that South Africa’s identity is not fixed—it is fluid, evolving with each new generation of artists who dare to challenge the status quo. And as the country continues to redefine itself in the post-apartheid era, the stories of those on the margins, like people with albinism, are finally being brought to the center.

In the end, this is not just an artistic movement—it is a cultural shift. It is the recognition that albinism, like every other aspect of South African life, deserves to be seen, acknowledged, and celebrated. Through the lens of art, South Africa is learning to see itself anew, and in doing so, it is beginning to see the silent spectrum that has always been there, waiting to be noticed.

Nolan Stevens is an art advisor; curator and freelance arts writer living with a disability, based in Johannesburg, his practice explores themes of race, culture, identity and societal inclusion.

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