Ahead of Nelson Mandela Day, Everard Read presents a special Curator’s Choice exhibition featuring Mandela – A Life’s Journey, a remarkable series of limited-edition prints by renowned South African artist John Meyer.

Originally commissioned in 2017, the series is drawn from 16 monumental oil paintings that premiered at Everard Read’s CIRCA Gallery before touring internationally. While the original paintings remain together in a private collection, this exhibition offers visitors the rare opportunity to experience the complete narrative through meticulously produced limited-edition prints, all available for acquisition.

Rather than presenting a conventional historical account, Meyer approaches Nelson Mandela’s life through a deeply personal lens. The works imagine moments beyond the familiar photographs, revealing the humanity behind one of South Africa’s most celebrated figures. Beginning with Mandela’s early years, the sequence follows his journey through resistance, imprisonment, leadership and the complex realities of the presidency.

Presented in the lead-up to Nelson Mandela Day on 18 July, the exhibition reflects on Mandela’s enduring legacy of service, resilience and compassion. Meyer’s cinematic storytelling invites viewers to engage not only with the milestones of history, but with the emotional and personal experiences that shaped a remarkable life.

Best known for his evocative South African landscapes, John Meyer brings the same sensitivity and painterly depth to this ambitious portrait of Mandela, creating a body of work that is both historically significant and emotionally resonant.