User:2601:602:8A00:2F8B:9004:B93E:C155:AAEF/gap analysis

Gap analysis

 * What is the title of the article in which you identified a gap. If no article exists at all, what should the title be?

Zanele Muholi
 * Document the gap you found, describe how you identified it, and analyze its impact on knowledge.
 * Document the gap you found, describe how you identified it, and analyze its impact on knowledge.

I chose to work on Zanele Muholi’s Wikipedia page as I find her work very interesting, bold and compelling. While she does have a Wiki page with some information, it’s very sparse, and there is definitely more information that can be added. Her page includes a small intro paragraph, Early Life paragraph, and a seemingly incomplete Career section. Her page seems to give only give a brief summary of what her works are about, and gives a brief list of some of her solo and collaborative exhibitions. However, they do not go into depth about any of her specific works or even mention any specific works such as Miss D’vine and what they represent. I was also surprised that they didn’t mention that Muholi is a lesbian, as that is a major reason that she got into the photography that she does. The article does mention post-apartheid once, but fails to talk about what it is or how it relates to Muholi’s photography, as well as it only cites a general Wiki page of South Africa. One other thing that I was surprised to see, was that Muholi was not mentioned as a feminist artist on the Category: Feminist Artists Wiki page, which I believe she should definitely be listed on. All of this limits our knowledge on gender, race and sexuality, because the lack of information blocks others from grasping what Muholi’s feminist work is about, what her message is, and the background of how her works came to be.

'''Propose a paragraph of new or substantially edited content based on reliable sources. (If you are editing existing content, post the current version along with your edited version, and clearly mark which is which.)'''

I propose that Muholi be cited as a feminist artist to be added to the feminist artist wiki page to start with. I also propose that we add a paragraph going into more depth about some of Muholi’s more specific works and photographs, and what they represent/how they relate to Muholi’s overall goal. Works will include the Miss D’vine series, Faces and Phases series (the Wiki page mentions this series, but does say anything specifically about it), and her exhibition Love and Loss. One more thing that I propose is to give a brief summary about the apartheid and how it relates to Muholi’s photography in a post-apartheid South Africa.

To add to the Early Life section: The apartheid was considered one of the worst forms of institutionalized racism ever to be seen, implemented by British imperialists. This is crucial to Muholi's work as black women received the worst of the apartheid, and are still affected by its consequences today.

Sample for the specific Artwork section:
 * One of Muholi's well known Miss D'vine, is a series of photographs taken in 2007 of a trans male. In the photographs, Miss D'vine appears androgynous, such as in one photo wearing nothing but heels, a necklace and beads. Muholi's purpose for this piece is to get people to question heteronormativity and to rethink gender, especially in South Africa, by showing what it means to having no limitations when it comes to oneself.
 * The series Faces and Phases, Muholi documents the community of black lesbians and trans in South Africa by taking their portraits through black and white photography. This series is seen as giving queer lives the power of invisibility, by giving them the chance to be seen as they want to be seen. It also shows diversity, showing that their is a strong variety identities among the queer community. Each portrait, the subject is facing the camera with a direct gaze, giving the viewer a sense of silence as well as many questions and ideas to ponder on.
 * One of Muholi's latest exhibitions, Love and Loss, consists of a glass coffin filled with both flowers and a self portrait of Muholi which is centered in the middle of the room. Muholi describes this exhibition as being both a mourning and celebration of queer lives. Further more, it explores the relationship between life and death, as well as joy and sadness within the LGBTQ community in South Africa. The exhibition and the choosing of a glass coffin, symbolizes how queer private lives become public, such as during funerals which can become highly publicized by the media.
 * List the reliable sources that could be used to improve this gap. (You can use the Cite tool from the editing toolbar above to input and format your sources.)


 * http://africasacountry.com/2014/03/zanele-muholis-new-work-mourns-and-celebrates-south-african-queer-lives/
 * http://africasacountry.com/2015/10/an-interview-with-zanele-muholi-on-her-lifes-work-an-archive-of-black-south-african-lesbian-gay-and-trans-people/
 * http://www.openeye.org.uk/main-exhibition/zanele-muholi/
 * http://www.openeye.org.uk/main-exhibition/zanele-muholi/
 * http://www.openeye.org.uk/main-exhibition/zanele-muholi/