I Carry Her Photo With Me - Lindokuhle Sobekwa

 Lindokuhle Sobekwa began this project after discovering a family portrait with his sister Ziyanda’s face cut out. Describing her as secretive, rebellious, and rough, Sobekwa recalls a dark day when she chased him, leading to an accident. Ziyanda disappeared hours later, returning a decade later, ill. By then, Sobekwa had become a photographer and realized the family had no pictures of her. He recounts, "One day I saw this beautiful light coming in through the window shining on her face. I lifted up the camera to catch the moment and she shot me an evil look and said: 'Stop! If you take that picture I’m going to kill you!' So I lowered my camera. I still wish I had taken the shot." Ziyanda died soon after.

"I Carry Her Photo with Me" employs a scrapbook aesthetic with handwritten notes, allowing Sobekwa to engage with both the memory of his sister and the broader implications of such disappearances—a troubling aspect of South Africa’s history. This book complements his broader work on fragmentation, poverty, and the long-reaching ramifications of apartheid and colonialism across all levels of South African society.

The book includes a long-form essay by writer and scholar Neelika Jayawardane. Explore Sobekwa's poignant journey and his reflections on personal and societal issues through his unique photographic lens.

Spiral-bound hardcover

18 x 22cm, 80 pages