Kwazokuhle Phakathi (b. 1998) is a visual artist from Umlazi, Durban. Since 2018, he has been working primarily in the medium of photography. His work explores ideas of identity, belonging and space. He has participated in The Meeting Of Minds Exhibition at Studio Mecca, and The Nature of Photography Show at Victoria Yards (2022). He completed the Foundation Course at The Market Photo Workshop in 2021, and a Mid Level Course at Through the Lens Collective (2022). He currently lives and works in Johannesburg, SouthAfrica.

Almost Everything Has Happened (2022-23)

In 1976 - almost everything happened: an American viking became the first to successfully

land on Mars / A company named after a fruit was founded by two men both named Steve /

The boxer, Rocky, climbed up a flight of stairs and raised his fists / In Soweto, 20 000

students also raised their fists / and a new source of information was introduced to the South African population - the television.

Since its introduction, the television has become a fundamental part of life for many living on the continent - ideas of ourselves and others are informed and enforced through the

continuous consumption of media.

In this project I aimed to investigate the African's shared history in the pursuit for social,

political and economic freedom - through the warped gaze of media, both historic and

contemporary.

I began photographing broadcasts and publicly-produced footage on the television as an

attempt to trace back connections between Africans, and to understand what caused the

culture of separation and distrust, in relation to the seemingly sudden and violent xenophobic attacks that affect all those living in South Africa. Using a digital process, I have distorted the photographs; to mimic the distorted and alienating perspectives, triggered by misinformation and disinformation.

Through this work, I have discovered that our past is chaotic and corroded with systematic

traumas / And our present seems more uncertain than ever. From colonialism, racism,

segregation to corruption and identity suppression - almost everything has happened.          

All have been a catalyst to the isms and phobias on our continent.

So how do we begin to heal as Africans?

When do we mend the links that bound us together?

Where will the radical revolution of kinship be /

And importantly, will it be televised?