Bringing together over 50 portraits from visual activist Zanele Muholi's landmark photographic series, this presentation marks the 20th anniversary of Faces and Phases - one of the most significant ongoing visual records of Black LGBTQIA+ lives globally. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Center for the Arts, Buckhorn Public Arts, and Southern Guild, and forms part of the cultural programme of The Aspen Art Fair 2026.

Initiated in South Africa in 2006 in response to the violence, discrimination, and historical erasure experienced by Black Queer communities, Faces and Phases has evolved over two decades into a living archive spanning multiple cities and continents. Built through sustained relationships with participants, the portraits affirm dignity, self-representation, and collective memory while challenging dominant narratives around gender, sexuality, and belonging.

The Aspen presentation follows on from Faces and Phases 20, Muholi's acclaimed independent exhibition during the opening week of the 61st Venice Biennale, and continues a year of major international recognition following their selection as the 2026 Hasselblad Award Laureate. The exhibition brings together portraits made across South Africa, alongside more recent works produced in London, Porto, Panama City, Los Angeles, Salvador, and São Paulo, reflecting the project's continued global expansion.