Nelson Mandela Foundation photographer shows images from anti-apartheid icon’s last years
- Matthew Willman’s photographs, featured in Hong Kong exhibition, show his close relationship with South Africa’s first post-apartheid president
- He also focuses on Mandela charity’s conservation work with orphaned baby rhinos
Matthew Willman is well aware of how privileged he’s been. For 10 years he was commissioned to take photographs for the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and during that time captured intimate moments with the late South African anti-apartheid leader.
Willman says being involved with the foundation, a non-profit organisation established by Mandela in 1999 to promote his vision of freedom and equality, allowed him to pursue his passion for wildlife conservation, especially the protection of rhinos.
“Mandela and I would meet twice a month and talk about he foundation’s research,” says Willman, a South African. The foundation focused on education, the environment and health care, in particular HIV/Aids.
The fruits of his time photographing with the foundation is “The Mandela/Rhino Heritage collection”. Comprising 16 images – nine images of rhinoceroses and seven portraits of Mandela, who died in 2013 – the collection is being shown in Asia for the first time at the Areteos Art Gallery in Hong Kong.
This year marks the 100th birthday of Mandela’s birth, and Willman’s photographs show his close relationship with South Africa’s first post-apartheid president.