Academy Town Square Presents: Gideon Mendel: Drowning World: A Visual Response to Climate Change

Thursday, May 6, 2021

3:00 PM-4:00 PM

Join us for a special opportunity to hear from the artist behind the Academy’s newest exhibit, Gideon Mendel: Drowning World.

This unique photographic exploration of flooding is a stark portrayal of the human condition within the context of overwhelming climate events around the world. Mendel began photographing major floods in 2007 when one in the United Kingdom and another in India occurred within two weeks of each other. Their proximity struck him as a shared vulnerability that seemed to unite people from the poorest and wealthiest communities on the planet.

Hear directly from Mendel about his engagement with social issues as a photographer and artist, including the challenge of making climate change visible. Learn more about the roots of the Drowning World project, the various narrative threads that it incorporates, the use of Submerged Portraits images as tools of visual activism in protest and the power and limitations of the image. Get to know more about Mendel’s background as a photographer, growing up in South Africa and documenting the struggle against apartheid in the 1980s, as well as his recent work exploring the impacts and aftermath of destructive fire.

Click here to register!

Academy Members, join us for a special meet-and-greet with Gideon Mendel from 2:30–2:50 p.m. Drexel faculty, staff and students are also welcome to join this portion of the event.

Not a member? Join now to support our efforts to ensure a healthy, sustainable and equitable planet. Membership dues directly support our work, and all members receive 12 months of member benefits, including virtual members-only events, science-from-home activities and free admission to the museum.