Territory: Worldwide
Theme: I Am Because of You, Mother Earth.
Eligibility: Open to all
Entry Fees: Free
Der Greif has invited Zanele Muholi, supported by Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung, to guest-edit Issue 19.
The theme for the open call is “I Am Because of You, Mother Earth.”
You are the environment. Your body is a landscape, your face a geography, your breath an atmosphere. The water in your blood, the minerals in your bones, the soil that feeds you: all of it connects you to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. This is the oldest truth there is.
“It is not just me guest-editing: this issue of Der Greif is a shared process of making something beautiful and outstanding together.” — Zanele Muholi
**I Am Because of You, Mother Earth. – Curatorial statement by Zanele Muholi**
“Everything that we are is the environment. Water is part of the environment. Blood in your system is the environment. Your body as the landscape, that is a form of the environment. When you say environment, people would think of the landscape and it ends there. But you won't think of the elements and nuances that make this whole thing whole.
I could say this issue is about the constitution. But the constitution is the environment, and the environment is the landscape. And the landscape is the voice, and the voice is the community. And the community is something else. All of these things are interconnected in one way or the other. You are the environment.
A person could photograph their face and say: Look, the environment! My eyes are the north. My mouth is the south. My ears are east and west.
I really want to push people and challenge them. People are limited, and we keep on limiting ourselves. I want us to look at the environment way beyond just the physical space. I want people to think of environment as everything that lives in it.
All these things connect. Mother Earth in all of us.
Because of environment, I am. Because of you, I am. Because of them, I am.”
This issue wants to break brackets, between ages, between disciplines, between the global South and the global North. It asks you to challenge yourself, to think like a child again, to refuse the borders between self and surroundings, between the personal and the political. To use materials with meaning: paper because it comes from soil and sand, gold because it holds beauty, light because it reveals what darkness cannot.
Zanele Muholi invites you to explore what environment means when we stop seeing it as something outside of ourselves. What is home when it is not a building, but a necessity, something constitutional, something elemental? When it is the people surrounding you? What does it mean to recognize that your existence is made possible by others, by land, by history, by struggle, by love?
Photographers, writers, poets, and essayists from all over the world are encouraged to submit, including collaborative projects. We are looking for work with both bones and flesh — form and content, skill and lived experience. Work that speaks to the heart with depth.
— Zanele Muholi
**About Zanele Muholi**
Zanele Muholi is a celebrated visual activist, humanitarian, and art practitioner invested in educational activism, community outreach, social work, and youth development. They focus on the documentation and celebration of the lives of South Africa’s Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex communities.
Born in Umlazi, Durban, and now based in Cape Town, Muholi studied Advanced Photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg (2001–2003) with David Goldblatt and completed an MFA in Documentary Media at Ryerson University, Toronto (2009). They received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liège, Belgium, in 2023 and were appointed Honorary Professor at the University of the Arts in Bremen, Germany, in 2013.
Since 2006, Muholi has documented the lives and resilience of South Africa's Black LGBTQIA+ communities. Their ongoing portrait series *Faces and Phases* captures Black lesbian and transgender individuals, building a visual history and positive imagery rooted in resistance and mutual recognition. In *Somnyama Ngonyama (Hail the Dark Lioness)*, Muholi turns the lens on themselves, creating self-portraits that reclaim Blackness and challenge dominant representations of Black women through different characters and archetypes tied to South Africa’s political history. By exaggerating the darkness of their skin tone, Muholi reclaims their Blackness and counters stereotypical portrayals in contemporary media.
Muholi's mission extends beyond the gallery. Their work has been exhibited internationally in major museums and institutions. In 2002, they co-founded the Forum for Empowerment of Women (FEW), responding to the needs and safety of Black lesbian women. In 2009, they launched Inkanyiso, a platform for queer visual media, and in 2021 established the Muholi Arts Institute (MAI) in Cape Town. Through initiatives such as Ikhono LaseNatali and PhotoXP, they continue to facilitate access to photography and art education for young people and underserved communities.
**Why Submit to Issue 19?**
• Have your work seen by renowned artist Zanele Muholi.
• Get the chance to be published in Issue 19 and receive a free copy, plus additional copies at a highly discounted rate.
• Be part of related events organized by Der Greif around the release of Issue 19 during Paris Photo 2026 and beyond.
• Get the opportunity to publish an Artist Feature on dergreif.org, a highly frequented international source of photographic art.
**Special Prize**
Two outstanding submissions will be selected by the Der Greif team to each receive €1,000, supported by the Curt Wills-Stiftung. The stipends are intended to support artists whose work demonstrates thoughtful engagement with the theme “I Am Because of You, Mother Earth” and a commitment to fostering dialogue around environmental, social, or cultural questions.
The Curt Wills-Stiftung supports art, education, and environmental protection in accordance with the vision of its founder, Curt Hesse. Its mission is to give art a central role in a fast-paced and ever-changing world. Music, literature, visual arts, and digital arts are among its key areas of support. The foundation operates two project spaces: the digital art space on Amalienstraße in Munich and a section of the Container Collective in Munich's Werksviertel district.
Along with the financial award, recipients will also be featured in a dedicated editorial conversation on Der Greif, offering additional visibility for their work and ideas.
Selections will be made by the Der Greif editorial team based on artistic merit, conceptual strength, and the potential for meaningful community impact.
**Voluntary Donation**
Der Greif is a registered non-profit organization. In these challenging economic times—especially for arts organizations and artists—the team remains committed to providing a vital platform for its community. If you are in a position to support this mission, your contribution is greatly appreciated.
Since launching Guest Room in January 2015, Der Greif has invited a wide range of professionals, including gallerists, editors, and curators, to create opportunities for artists to share their work and connect with an international audience they might not otherwise reach. The organization is more committed than ever to continuing this work.
A voluntary donation of €13 is suggested until June 7 to help sustain these efforts. After June 7, the suggested donation increases to €15. Those wishing to provide additional support can also make regular donations through Der Greif’s Raisely page.
If you are unable to contribute financially, please email [voucher-print@dergreif.org](mailto:voucher-print@dergreif.org) to receive a 50% or 100% discount code. Artistic and financial contributions alike help sustain and grow this important platform.
