Hasselblad Award 2026
Zanele Muholi takes centre stage as Hasselblad Award Seminar explores photography, representation, democracy and the political significance of visibility.
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.
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.
From Umlazi to every place where Black LGBTQIA+ people continue to fight for the freedom to exist – this recognition affirms that our lives are worthy of being seen. Not as statistics, not as shadows, but as fully human beings.
— Zanele Muholi
About the participants
Mark Sealy
Professor Mark Sealy is Executive Director of Autograph, a position he has held since 1991, 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.
His research and curatorial practice critically examine the relationships between photography and art, social change, identity politics, race, and human rights. He holds a PhD from Durham University and has written extensively for leading international photography journals and photographic publications. He has curated major exhibitions and photograph festivals, produced numerous artist publications, and commissioned photographers and filmmakers and worldwide. He jointly initiated and led the development of Rivington Place which is home to Autograph, an £8 million capital arts building in London, which opened in 2007.
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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.
Beyond academia, she is engaged in public dialogue on international affairs, democracy, and global politics. She is co-founder and host of the podcast USA & Co and, together with actor Gustaf Skarsgård, she co-founded and host Samtal vi saknar, a YouTube-based conversation series exploring questions and perspectives that often struggle to find space in contemporary public debate.
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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. Her work addresses themes such as migration, memory, materiality, community, desire and the body, often explored through a Black feminist perspective and the rhythms of everyday life.
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Sten Tolgfors
Sten Tolgfors, former Minister for Defence and Minister for Trade, has served as County Governor of Västra Götaland since 2022.
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Amat Levin (Moderator)
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?.
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Hasselblad Award Seminar
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.
The Hasselblad Award
The Hasselblad Award was established in 1980 by Erna and Victor Hasselblad and has since been awarded yearly, woth the exception of two years. It is one of the most significant international awards in photography. The award is presented to photographers who have made an outstanding artistic contribution: those who have broken new ground, inspired younger generations of photographers, carried out internationally recognised projects, and continue to develop their artistic practice.
