Mandela, in Glasgow - exhibition.
Nelson Mandela visited Glasgow on two occasions. I was fortunate to photograph him both times, and now to coincide with Black History Month, my images from these two visits will be exhibited at Glasgow City Chambers, from 1st - 30th October, 2026. The exhibition will coincide with the unveiling in Glasgow of a new statue of Nelson Mandela, by artist Alan Herriot.
Nelson Mandela, in Glasgow, 1993. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, all rights reserved.
The first visit by Mandela was in October 1993 when he came to accept the Freedom of the City, an award which had been bestowed upon him years previously in 1981, when he was still imprisoned in Robben Island, South Africa.
"On that occasion I photographed him over a couple of days, as he arrived at the Hilton Hotel late at night, then the following day he received the Freedom of the City award in the City Chambers, he walked in George Square dancing and speaking before the enthralled crowds, and a moving speech at the Royal Concert Hall." - Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert
Nelson Mandela arrives at Glasgow City Chambers, 1993. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, all rights reserved.
Nelson Mandela, inside Glasgow’s Barlinnie Prison, 2002. From the zine ‘Mandela, In Glasgow’. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert 2026.
In June 2002 Mandela once again visited Glasgow. This time visiting Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was then serving a prison sentence in HMP Barlinnie, convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie Bombing. After Mandela’s ‘private visit’ with al-Megrahi an impromptu press briefing was called, inside a windowless room inside the prison.
Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert was fortunate to photograph Nelson Mandela on both these occasions, and the images in the exhibition document in part those visits.
This exhibition is a part of the Season of Photography 2026 - a celebration of photography in Scotland running from 1 September – 20 December 2026.
Mandela in Glasgow,
1st-30th October 2026.
Glasgow City Chambers,
80 George Sq
Glasgow
G2 2DU
This exhibition also coincides with the new publication by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, ‘Mandela, in Glasgow’ - a photo-zine documenting in photographs the two visits to Glasgow by the South African anti-apartheid freedom fighter, politician and statesman.