Prix Pictet virtual talk: Fiona Shields in conversation with Mandy Barker and Alice Mann

Mann (b.1991) is a South African photographic artist who’s intimate portraiture essays explore notions of picture making as an act of collaboration. She aims to create images that empower her subjects and creates projects over extended periods, allowing for engaged and nuanced representations. Her work has been exhibited internationally at Red Hook Labs (NYC), Unseen Photo Fair (Amsterdam), The National Portrait Gallery and Somerset House (London), The International Centre of Photography (NYC) and Manchester Art Gallery, as prestigious art fairs including 1:54 African Art Fair, and Paris Photo Fair. Mann’s personal and commissioned work has been published internationally including The Guardian, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Artsy, The British Journal of Photography, and National Geographic.

Mandy Barker is an international award-winning photographic artist whose work involving marine plastic debris for more than 13 years, has received global recognition. Working with scientists she aims to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the world's oceans, highlighting the harmful effect on marine life, climate change and ultimately ourselves - leading the viewer to take action. Barker's work has been published in over 50 countries including; National Geographic Magazine, TIME, The Guardian, The New Scientist, and VOGUE, and also to illustrate key academic and scientific research papers about current plastic research. Her work has been exhibited world-wide from MoMA Museum of Modern Art, and the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum London, and the Science & Technology Park Hong Kong. Barker was shortlisted for the Prix Pictet Award SPACE 2017, the world's leading photography award for sustainability.

Fiona has over twenty years’ picture editing experience across a range of newspaper titles as well as being a curator, speaker on photojournalism and mentor within the photography community. She was Picture Editor of the Guardian for ten years before taking up the role of Head of Photography for the Guardian News and Media Group. Throughout her career she has been involved in the coverage of some of the most historic news stories of our time including the events surrounding 9/11, conflicts around the world, large-scale natural disasters, and the humanitarian crises resulting from the growing refugee numbers across the globe. In addition she has judged numerous high profile photographic awards including World Press Photo Awards, the Sony World Photography Awards, The Carmignac Photojournalism Award, The Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize and is a regular nominator for the prestigious Prix Pictet Prize.