Leica UK is launching a new exhibition in collaboration with global humanitarian organisation, Action Against Hunger, and photojournalists Andrew Parsons and Ben Stevens.
The exhibition, Hunger Through The Lens, taking place at the Leica Gallery Mayfair, London, until 5 November 2016, comes as Action Against Hunger launches a new coalition to double the number of severely malnourished children reaching life-saving treatments by 2020.
All shot on the Leica M-System, the exhibition features pictures by Andrew Parsons in Nepal, six months on from the 2015 earthquake, and from South Sudan, a country riven by conflict and hunger, along with photographs by Ben Stevens in Mali, where Action Against Hunger is carrying out a ground-breaking initiative to get malnutrition treatment to more children, in partnership with the innocent foundation.
Andrew Parsons said, “Visiting communities supported by Action Against Hunger has enabled me to photograph the horrendous hunger and suffering that still exists around the world. My reliable Leica M-System enabled me to document the communities unobtrusively, in a natural and authentic way.
“I am thrilled to be able to exhibit this project at the Leica Gallery, bringing the subject to new audiences, and highlighting the invaluable work of the charity, which continues to improve many millions of lives every year.”
At the same time, Leica UK is announcing Andrew Parsons as a new Leica Ambassador.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to have been asked to be a Leica Ambassador. Leica is always my first choice in sensitive situations, whether that be fly-on-the-wall images of Prime Ministers or documenting the human face of poverty.”
Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organisation that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. For almost 40 years, across nearly 50 countries, the charity has led the fight against hunger, saving the lives of malnourished children, ensuring communities can access clean water, food, training and healthcare.
By bringing together organisations already leading the charge to end the deadliest form of hunger, including UNICEF, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the Department for International Development and the EU, Action Against Hunger and its partners aim to save millions of lives and build a brighter future for some of the most vulnerable children in the world.
About Andrew Parsons
Andrew Parsons is a multi-award-winning photojournalist best known for his behind-the-scenes political images of former Prime Minister David Cameron, and Boris Johnson when Mayor of London. He is currently documenting Prime Minister Theresa May in her first months in office. Andrew regularly photographs the Royal Family as part of the prestigious Royal rota of photographers. He is also a respected war photographer, and has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Bosnia. His photographs capturing the moment a regiment was ambushed by the Taliban in 2007 led to him winning War Photographer of the Year in the PX3 Prix De La Photographie. His most recent assignment has been the European migrant crisis. He co-owns the international picture agency i-Images.
About Ben Stevens
Ben Stevens’ work was recently exhibited in Assignments 2016, the British Press Photographers’ Association’s exhibition, which featured the best photojournalism of the last twelve months. Stevens has travelled around the world for his job, including to the Middle East and Mali for Action Against Hunger. He began his career on a weekly paper in Basingstoke before moving to Wales News Service and then to London, where he currently covers breaking news stories for i-Images picture agency and national newspapers.
The Action Against Hunger exhibition takes place at the Leica Gallery Mayfair, 27 Bruton Place, London W1J 6NQ until 5 November 2016, Monday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm. Entry is free of charge.
Image credit: Andrew Parsons/ i-images for Action Against Hunger
