Who am I

Steve Dean Mendes was born and raised in a small town in the south of Portugal and lives in Belgium, Wichelen. He is a contemporary artist who mainly works on long-term photographic projects. Like the previous project, Emotions in between emotions, which ended with a book publication, it took 4 years to complete the project. Because of his bachelor's degree in Sociology, his vision and practice is based on scientific methodology. From a tabula rasa perspective, he deals with social issues, contemporary sociological and societal topics such as depression, self-image, social exclusion, self-mutilation and tries to give his characters a voice through art, giving them a sense of purpose and belonging. Through art, he fights against his inner traumas and tries to bring understanding to the struggles that make us human.

Logo for SDM with the name Steve Dean Mendes, featuring black text and minimalist decorative elements on a white background.

Exhibitions

5/2021 - Éloquence Photo Exhibition - Proof of existence / Deep emotions from Photography  - Sapporo Cultural Arts Community Center Scarts Court - Sapporo, Japan

9/2021 - Image Nation - The New Aesthetics - Fondazione Luciana Matalon - Milan, Italy

4/2022 - Silent Noise - Verduyn Gallery - Moregem, Belgium

5/2022 - ImageNation - Galerie Joseph Le Palais - Paris, France

5/2022 - Éloquence Photo Exhibition - Deep emotions from Photography  - Sapporo Cultural Arts Community Center Scarts Court - Sapporo, Japan

9/2022 - ImageNation - Fondazione Luciana Matalon - Milan, Italy

11/2022 - HeadOn Photo Festival - Bondy Beach, Sydney, Australia

11/2022 - BBA Gallery Photography Award 2022 - Kühlhaus, Berlin, Germany​

5/2023 - Éloquence Photo Exhibition - Proof of existence / What the subject tells us  - Sapporo Cultural Arts Community Center Scarts Court - Sapporo, Japan

5/2023 - Iconic Photo Shop - ImageNation - Galerie Joseph Le Palais - Paris, France

5/2024 - Éloquence Photo Exhibition - Deep emotions from Photography  - Sapporo Cultural Arts Community Center Scarts Court - Sapporo, Japan

1/2025 - XXX OCULI - IMAGINAIR Art/space – Brussels, Belgium

Awards &Nominations

Hasselblad Masters 2023 Portrait - Finalist

1839 Awards - Color Photography Contest, Category People - Honorable Mention

British Journal of Photography Portrait of Humanity Vol. 5 - Shortlist + Published in the book Portrait of Humanity Vol. 5

HeadOn PhotoFestival - Portrait award 2022 - Semi Finalist

BBA Gallery Photography Prize 2022 - Finalist

BBA Gallery MPB European Award 2022 - Finalist

BBA Gallery Berlin Photo Week 2022 - Shortlisted

IPA 2022 - International Photo Awards

Category Fine Art, Portrait series - Honorable mention 

PX3 Prix de la Photography 2022

Category Fine Art, Portrait series - Honorable mention 

Beautiful Bizarre Inprnt Photography prize 2022 Finalist

Belfast Photo Festival 2022 - Shortlisted book Emotions In Between Emotions

Lensculture Critics’ Choice Award  2021 Winner Critics Pick by Xavier Seule (Director La Galerie VU’)

MIFA 2021 - Moscow International  Photo Awards Bronze, Category People Fine Art Portrait series​

TIFA 2020 - Tokyo International  Photo AwardsBronze, Category People Fine Art Portrait series​

IPA 2020 - International Photo Awards 3rd Place, Category Fashion, Advertisement Commercial

IPA 2020 - International Photo Awards Jury Top 5 Selection - Tiffany Sprague (YALE University Art Gallery)

IPA 2020 - International Photo Awards Honorable Mention , Category Fine Art, Portrait series

The Gucci Beauty Glitch, “Unconventional Beauty” Photo Vogue Italia / Gucci contest 2020 - Finalist

​TIFA 2019 - Tokyo International  Photo Awards Gold, Category People Portrait series

BIFA 2019 - Budapest International Photo Awards Bronze, Category People Portrait series

​IPA 2019 - International Photo Awards 2nd Place, Category Fine Art, Portrait series

The Independent Photographer Visual story teller Contest 2019 - Finalist

The Sound of Color Contest - 500px.com 1st prize 2016