Biography
Andrew McConnell was born in the north of Ireland and began his career as a press photographer working for a daily newspaper in Belfast during the closing stages of the Troubles and the transition to peace.
Today his works focuses on themes of displacement, post-conflict issues, and the environment. He has worked in-depth on issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis, e-waste in Ghana, the ongoing blockade of the Gaza strip, the conflict in eastern DR Congo, for which he won the Luis Valutena Humanitarian Photography Award. In 2009 he completed a series on the forgotten Sahrawi people of Western Sahara, for which he was awarded 1st place in the portrait story category of the World Press Photo awards. A follow-up project on the issue of urban refugees was carried out in 8 cities worldwide and resulted in exhibitions in London and New York.
From 2014 Andrew spent four years working on his first feature length documentary “GAZA”, which subsequently premiered at Sundance 2019 and was selected as Ireland's entry for the Oscars' Best International Feature Film category at 2020 Academy Awards.
Among numerous honours, McConnell has won two 1st place prizes at the World Press Photo Awards, 4 National Press Photographers Association awards, including the prestigious Best of Show, 2 Sony World Photography Awards, 1st place at the Pictures of the Year International, and 1st place in the Istanbul Photo Awards. His images have appeared worldwide in publications such as National Geographic, Vanity Fair, Time, New York Times, Der Spiegel, Stern, Le Monde, and the Sunday Times Magazine. He is represented by the one of the world's leading photographic agencies - Panos Pictures.
Awards:
GAZA, Selected as Ireland's entry for Best International Feature Film,
Academy Awards 2020.
GAZA, Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival, 2019
The Crossing, Pictures of the Year International, Portrait Story, 1st place, 2018
The Crossing, Istanbul Photo Awards, Portrait Story, 1st place, 2018
Gaza Surf Club, Sony World Photography Awards, Sport, 3rd place, 2012
The Last Colony, World Press Photo, Portrait Story, 1st place, 2011
Kinshasa Symphony, World Press Photo, Arts & Entertainment, 1st place, 2011
Kinshasa Symphony, NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Best of Show, 2011
Kinshasa Symphony, NPPA Best of Photojournalism, The Art of Entertainment, 1st Prize, 2011
Kinshasa Symphony, China International Press Photo Contest, Arts, Culture & Entertainment News, Gold Prize, 2011
The Cataracts, China International Press Photo Contest, Nature & Environment News, Silver Prize, 2011
The Cataracts, Sony World Photography Awards, Travel, 3rd place, 2011
Rubbish Dump 2.0, NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Enterprise Story, 2nd place, 2010
The Last Colony, NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Portrait Series, Honourable Mention, 2010
Congo's Wars, Luis Valtueña 12th International Humanitarian Photography Award, Winner 2009
Congo's Wars, Terry O’Neill Award, Runner-up, 2009
Congo's Wars, Sony World Photography Awards, Contemporary Issues, Shortlisted, 2009
Congo's Wars, CARE International Humanitarian Award, Shortlisted, 2009
Congo's Wars, Bayeux Calvados Award for War Correspondents, Shortlisted, 2008
British Telecom Northern Ireland Press Photographer of the Year, Winner 2002
Exhibitions:
Re-entry, Cosmonaut Museum, Moscow, February/March 2019
Hidden Lives, Cathedral of St John the Devine, New York, Jun – Aug 2013
Hidden Lives, St Pancras Station, London, Jan 2013
The Long Night of the Sahrawi, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain, Nov 2011
Sahara Surreal, The Empty Quarter Gallery, Dubai, Sept/Oct 2011
Ghosts of the Sahara, The Half King, New York, April/May 2011
The Long Night of the Sahrawi, El Centro Maruja Mallo, Galicia, Spain, Sept 2010
Congo Now, Houses of Parliament, London, Apr 2010
Terry O’Neill Award, Getty Gallery, London, Sept 2009
CARE International Humanitarian Award, Visa Pour L’Image, Perpignan, Sept 2009
Medicos del Mundo Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Award, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, Feb 2009
Visa Pour L’Image night screening, Perpignan, September 2008 & 2011