Mandela, in Glasgow by Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert
1st – 30th October 2026
Glasgow City Chambers
Nelson Mandela visited Glasgow on two occasions. The first, 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
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.
Banner Image: Nelson Mandela holds a press conference in HMP Barlinnie, in Glasgow, 10th June 2002. © Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert 2026.,