Photographer Farren van Wyk is capturing international attention at Photo Days 2025 with her powerful exhibition "Mixedness is my Mythology," currently on display at Photo Elysée Lausanne as part of the Gen Z exhibition at the Dutch Workshop. The South African-Dutch artist's work delves deep into themes of apartheid and mixed-race identity, offering a personal and historical perspective on the complex relationship between South Africa and the Netherlands.
Van Wyk's photographic series explores the intricate connections and contradictions surrounding migration, ethnicity, colonialism, and apartheid that have shaped the historical relationship between the two nations. Born in South Africa in 1993 during the official last year of the apartheid era, she was classified as "Coloured" under the racist categorization system of the time. Her family's story reflects the broader trauma of apartheid: her grandparents were forcefully removed from their homes, and her parents made the difficult decision to relocate to the Netherlands when she was six years old.
"Being born in South Africa and growing up in the Netherlands has created a point of intersectionality in which I bring South African, Dutch, African American and Black American cultural aspects together in images," van Wyk explains. This unique bicultural experience forms the foundation of her artistic vision, allowing her to examine identity from multiple perspectives. She describes how her family exists "in a grey space where we deconstruct the apartheid construction of colouredness and make it our own."
The photographer deliberately chose black-and-white analog photography as her medium, a decision that carries profound historical significance. This choice directly references the "historical anthropological inhumane images of people of colour in South Africa that were used to support ideas on race and legalised oppression." By reclaiming this visual language, van Wyk transforms what was once a tool of oppression into an instrument of empowerment and self-definition.
"Being neither black nor white, a person of colour is a shade of grey in which everything is possible," van Wyk states. "In this grey area, I use photography to reclaim and redefine what it means to be a person of colour." Her work represents what she calls "a reconciliation and acceptance of our mixed identity," turning personal and family narratives into broader statements about identity, belonging, and self-determination.
The series goes beyond documentation to become what van Wyk describes as "an ode to being Coloured." By creating what she calls her family's iconography, she is actively "creating our family's mythology," establishing new visual narratives that celebrate rather than stigmatize mixed-race identity. This approach allows her family to define themselves on their own terms, outside the restrictive categories imposed by apartheid-era classification systems.
Farren van Wyk, born in 1993, brings impressive academic credentials to her artistic practice. She holds both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photography and a Master of Arts degree in Cultural and Visual Anthropology, qualifications that inform her thoughtful approach to documenting identity and culture. Her dual educational background allows her to approach her subjects with both artistic sensitivity and anthropological rigor.
The photographer's work addresses the complex legacy of colonialism from a truly unique perspective, having lived on both sides of the colonial relationship. Her photographs demonstrate how she "tries to come to terms with two sides to face colonialism, the slave trade and apartheid," offering insights that can only come from someone who has experienced both cultures intimately.
Van Wyk's professional recognition extends far beyond this current exhibition. She is an active member of several prestigious photography organizations, including the African Photojournalist Association with World Press Photo, Women Photograph, and Black Women Photographers. Her work has gained international acclaim, being featured by major publications including i-D, The Washington Post, Photo Vogue, Der Greif, and The Times UK. Those interested in exploring more of her work can visit her website at www.farrenvanwyk.xyz, where her complete portfolio demonstrates the ongoing evolution of her artistic vision and commitment to redefining visual narratives around mixed-race identity.
