Queering African Feminisms: Representation, Resistance, and Lived Realities in Contemporary Visual Art

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 105–117

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001292

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Queering African Feminisms: Representation, Resistance, and Lived Realities in Contemporary Visual Art

Names of Author: Dr. Zanele Dlamini¹

Author's Affiliation: ¹Department of Fine Arts and Visual Culture, Faculty of Humanities, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Abstract:
Dominant nationalist and conservative discourses across many African societies frequently frame non-normative sexualities and gender identities as un-African imports, erasing precolonial histories of fluid gender expression. Within this contested cultural terrain, contemporary queer African visual artists utilize photography, performance, and mixed media to challenge heteropatriarchal surveillance and reclaim bodily sovereignty. At the same time, these artists navigate complex tensions between local censorship, community safety, and Western art market commodification. This paper explores how queer female and non-binary artists in South Africa and Kenya deploy visual storytelling to expand the boundaries of African feminist thought. Grounded in queer African studies and decolonial aesthetics, the analysis examines selected visual exhibitions produced between 2018 and 2025 alongside artist interviews. Through visual semiotic reading, I argue that queer visual art functions as a radical archive of resistance, affirming marginalized subjectivities and envisioning liberatory futures beyond binary gender norms.

Keywords: Queer African studies, African feminism, visual art, heteropatriarchy, decolonial aesthetics, bodily sovereignty, South Africa, Kenya

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 03, 2026; Revised: July 10, 2026; Accepted: July 13, 2026; Published: August 14, 2026.

Citation: Dlamini, Z. (2026). Queering African Feminisms: Representation, Resistance, and Lived Realities in Contemporary Visual Art. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(8), 105–117. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001292

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