“Being a white lesbian Namibian comes with a multitude of privileges, but also identity conflicts and challenges. Born and raised in a country with colonial history, I benefitted from access to education, property, and other “invisible packages of unearned assets”, as per Peggy McIntosh. But as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in a country that still holds strong conservative Christian values as a result of colonialism – which haven’t progressed and adjusted to global contemporary views – I questioned my place in this society.” Raised on a farm near the town of Otjiwarongo, Anne Lacheiner-Kuhn connects much of her creative influence to an inert love for what she calls, “the country and its wilderness”. Paired with a sensitive awareness towards the conservative elements of this sheltered environment, the artist presents personal tensions by incorporating video, photography, installation and sculpture into a multidisciplinary art practice. The artist’s latest creative narrative explores themes of memory, sexuality and identity, highlighted through aspects of “appropriation, remixing, recycling and sampling”. Under the banner, ‘Re-queering a Nation’, Lacheiner-Kuhn investigates not only a personal grapple with “outsider as well as intruder syndrome”, but also aims to visualise the connection to a collective colonial memory and its impacts on minorities. She explains, “In addition to institutional racism, homophobia can also be attributed to colonialism. Acknowledging this is relevant not only to this exhibition, but also to Namibia’s progression towards equal rights for everyone.” 98% of the works include imagery of people she’s met and connected with through social platforms. “The beauty of this community is that it unifies people from all walks of life, colour, economic and educational background. It’s the first time I’ve collaborated with such a wide scope of people… and I think the collages created are almost secondary to the experience of connecting with ‘my people’, from my home country. It’s a celebration of the beautifully diverse LGBTQIA+ community!”

My Body My Rules

According to the United Nations Population Fund 33% of Namibian womxn have experiences physical or sexual violence in 2020, a truly shocking statistic! For this series “My Body, My Rules” I have reached out to a number of womxn via social media from the queer community and beyond to collaborate in what I’ve dubbed a protest to this pandemic.

Some contributors sending in photos of themselves with their own protest posters while others opted to select slogans from an array of protest images I have found. All opposing GVB but equally sending a message of hope, strength and solidarity to womxn across the country. These images are laid on top of black and white colonial images to highlight that although hoping to be in a decolonized era the patriarchal structure have not jet been eradicated in our country and the gender imbalance left imprinted from the colonial rule is still very much in place. Additionally I have decided to include succulent in these images as they can be found across the country and they symbolize tenacity, strength and selflessness love, all qualities that I also accredit to Namibian womxn.

Central to this series is the idea of ‘an exercise in composition’ working with only two source images in each work. Each has a figure/s and the background image. Smaller circles in the collage are cut out of the material left over from the lager circle so similar to a chess game each action will impact further actions and the final outcome. These works almost become similar to Jupiter with its many moons. This then lead me back into greek/roman mythology and the origin of the names of planets. My past studies of Ancient Cultures at the University of Stellenbosch further cemented my fascination of greek mythology. As a tribute each piece is attributed to greek/roman gods linking back to the idea of sky/universe and with it oder and chaos.

Featuring the artist's signature juxtapositions cut carefully from old magazines preceding ironic composition, 'Shy Wild' sees the artist explore the relationship between mostly wild animals and humans with a note on social media. 

“Having grown up on a remote farm north of Otjiwarongo and now living in London, it continually amazes me how little respect, fear or understanding most people have of wild animals,” says Lacheiner-Kuhn.
“We as humans displaced, tamed and treat animals as our accessories and in recent years, they have become a go-to for social media likes.”

“The increase of technology and screen-based social interaction contribute to our alienation from the wild and nature,” she says. “Also with globalisation and people being able to travel more freely, there is that constant want/need to out-do your social circle and selfies/photographs with wild animals in exotic places are top of the list for many westerners.”

Housing these ruminations in somewhat galactic glittering circles, Lacheiner-Kuhn recycles, remixes and appropriates images and materials to create new worlds entirely by steady, scalpel-wielding hand.

I work on a number of collage series simultaneously each with its own theme and focus. “Daydreamer” is the earliest of these series that focuses on escapism through remixing images into new narratives with composition and balance taking focus. Works are titled and aide the viewer but ultimately I enjoy how every person interprets the work differently. 

“ This is Homeland 1970’s” is a series of photo collages which use photographs my grandmothers took across Namibia/SWA in the 1970’s.
I used these photographs as they give me the feeling of a connection to the Na- mibian landscapes and the images of the rural farm and towns where I grew up.

is process was also a way to explore my family and Namibia’’s history. Largely a rescue from the printed photographs’ fate of shoebox or dusty, disused album,

‘ is is Homeland 1970’s’ lends new meaning to what was and what is while commenting on body perception, war and feminism in images underscored with ironic titles ranging from ‘Gagging the outlaw’ to ‘Bush inspection’.
ese photomontages beautifully contrast concepts of old vs. new, conventional vs. unique, unpleasant vs. beautiful.

“Namibian Polaroid” series of photo collages which use photographs my grandmothers took across Namibia/SWA in the 1970’s and which where passed down to me after her death.

I used these photographs as they give me the feeling of a connection to the Namibian landscapes and the images of the rural farm and towns where I grew up.

A way to explore my family and Namibia’’s history and rescuing the printed photographs’ fate of shoebox or dusty, disused album.

“Homoerotic” explores my own sexuality and my struggle confined to lesbian clichés instead associating stronger with gay male stereotypes even going as far as having a few female drag alter egos. Intrigued by the hypersexed obsessive portraits of youth are central to this series.

Similar to my "Homeland" and "Namibian Polaroid" series this body of works is based on 1950's original photographs taken by Wilhelm Schack, a German zookeeper during the research of his book "I Hunted the White Rhinoceros – With Camera and Flash in Zululand". The photos where taken around the norther part of Namibia where and where acquired by my grandparents around the same time. Similar to "Homeland" I explore notions of identity, belonging and sexuality through these works