Mendel’s work highlights the impact of climate change
JOBURG – An exhibition of the work of the South African-born contemporary photographer, Gideon Mendel, will be showcased at the Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein from October.
An exhibition of the work of the South African-born contemporary photographer, Gideon Mendel, will be showcased at the Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein from October.
The work is a memoir of Mendel’s travels to a number of flood-stricken countries over the past decade. His body of work, which will be on the show as part of an ongoing international project includes Submerged Portraits, Floodlines, Watermarks and a video titled The Water Chapters. It’s the first time, however, that the photographer’s work will be put on show in South Africa.
Fiona Rankin-Smith, special projects curator at the art museum said Mendel’s artwork sheds light on social issues unique to South Africa. “As with Mendel’s previous work as a young struggle photographer in South Africa in the 80s, and his work on HIV and AIDS, these photographs highlight pressing social issues,” said Rankin-Smith. “Capturing floods across geographical and cultural boundaries, this work illustrates the pervasive impact of climate change.
“Rather than the literal depiction of disaster zones, Mendel focuses on the personal impact of flooding to evoke our shared vulnerability to global warming and question our sense of stability in the world.
“Mendel’s work encompasses a peculiar stillness to them, in addition to a disturbing metaphor for the danger we all face in the face of the global climate change.”
Details: The Gideon Mendel: Drowning World exhibition opens on 17 October 2017 and runs until 25 February 2018, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm.
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