Gideon Mendel's intimate style of image-making and long-term commitment to socially engaged projects has earned international acclaim. Born in Johannesburg in 1959, Mendel established his career with his searing photographs of the final years of apartheid. It was his work as a "struggle photographer" during this period that first brought his work to global attention. In 1991 he moved to London, and continued to respond to global issues, especially HIV/AIDS. Since 2007, using stills and video, Mendel has been working on Drowning World, an art and advocacy project about flooding that is his personal response to climate change.

 

His work has been widely published in prominent publications such as National Geographic, Geo and the Guardian Weekend Magazine. His images have been used in numerous climate protests while his photographs and video pieces are increasingly seen in a variety of gallery contexts.

 

During 2016, Mendel received the inaugural Jackson Pollock Prize for Creativity and the Greenpeace Photo Award. Shortlisted for the Prix Picket in 2015, he has also received the Eugene Smith Award for Humanistic Photography, the Amnesty International Media Award, and six World Press awards. In 2018 Drowning World was exhibited in nine different venues around the world.