The walls of the Anne Bryant Art Gallery carried more than photographs on February 20 — they carried stories of pain, resilience and healing.
Loyiso Lindani, founder of the Herbodyherrules Foundation, launched the first of her three-city tour art exhibitions, bringing together striking portraits of women of different body types and deeply personal testimonies of trauma and recovery.
The exhibition aims to create a safe space where women can share their experiences, embrace their bodies and begin the journey towards emotional healing.
Through the pairing of photography and written narratives, vulnerability was not only welcomed but honoured.
About 50 people attended the opening session, filling the gallery with conversation, reflection and quiet support.
The photographs celebrate women of all shapes and sizes, challenging narrow beauty standards and encouraging visitors to embrace their natural bodies.
Lindani described the exhibition as more than an art display.
“I think it’s God who made it, because nobody told me to do it.
“I just took what I was already doing and then I wrote it up into a proposal and submitted it to the Office of the National Arts Council, and they approved it.”
I’m all about creating safe spaces for women and girls for addressing trauma and assisting us with our healing
— Loyiso Lindani, founder of the Herbodyherrules Foundation,
Support from the National Arts Council helped bring her vision to life.
Lindani said her work centred on creating safe spaces for women and girls to address trauma and begin healing, and turning that passion into a formal exhibition felt like a natural progression.
“I’m all about creating safe spaces for women and girls for addressing trauma and assisting us with our healing,” she said.
The stories shared were raw and deeply personal.
Some women wrote about surviving abuse. Others reflected on struggles with body image, rejection or emotional pain.
Displayed alongside their portraits, these testimonies transformed the gallery into a space of reflection and solidarity.
Visitors moved slowly between the displays, pausing to read each story.
Some wiped away tears; others nodded in recognition. Many said they felt less alone.
Though the foundation focuses primarily on women, Lindani made it clear that the exhibition is intentionally inclusive.
“We decided to make the event an inclusive one, because we realised that men often don’t have anyone to speak to about their problems,” she said.
“We want to get rid of the ‘men don’t cry’ saying that damages them emotionally.”
By opening the space to men, the exhibition also challenged stereotypes that discourage emotional expression.
Lindani believes meaningful healing in communities cannot happen if only one group is given permission to speak.
The February 20 event marked the first of three planned exhibitions in the city tour.
Lindani aims to expand the initiative beyond East London, with upcoming stops in Mdantsane and Qonce in the coming months.
Beyond the exhibitions, she has broader ambitions for the Herbodyherrules Foundation.
Currently operating as a start-up organisation focused on hosting events and creating live engagement spaces, the foundation hopes to one day establish a permanent centre.
“We want to build, and we want to have a place where people can go to,” she said.
Her vision is to create a lasting, safe home where people can share their stories, showcase creative performances and receive guidance as they navigate their healing journeys.
For now, the exhibition at the Anne Bryant Art Gallery stands as a powerful beginning — a reminder that art can do more than decorate walls. It can open conversations, break silence and help people reclaim their voices.
As the Herbodyherrules Foundation prepares for its next stops in Mdantsane and Qonce, Lindani’s message remains clear: everyone matters, every story deserves to be heard, and healing begins when safe spaces are created.
Daily Dispatch
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