Michelle Mendieta Mean is a London-based artist and photographer whose work explores themes of intimacy, queerness, and the psychological and spiritual questioning of existence. With a background in Fine Art from the University of Oxford and a master’s degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art, Mendieta combines photography, painting, and installation to create emotionally resonant narratives.

Mendieta’s practice delves into the complexities of human connection, examining memory, identity, and desire. Their work highlights the tensions of closeness and distance, as well as the contradictions of being seen and hidden, revealing and concealing. Through slow, intentional processes like large-format film photography, Mendieta captures the fluidity of queer identities and explores the psychological and spiritual dimensions of being.

Awarded the 2024 New Photography Prize, Mendieta continues to push the boundaries of visual storytelling, creating art that speaks to the richness and complexity of queer existence.