Award-winning photojournalist Paul Lowe killed in fatal knife attack

British photojournalist and educator Paul Lowe was identified as the victim of a fatal knife attack in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles last weekend. The award-winning photographer, who was 60 years old, was known for his powerful images of historical world events and conflicts.

On Tuesday, October 15, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office filed murder charges against the photographer’s 19-year-old son, Emir Abadzic Lowe, whom authorities arrested a few miles away after he got into a traffic accident shortly after the stabbing.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden death of Paul Lowe, Professor of Conflict, Peace and Image at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London,” said a statement released by the school yesterday.

Among the most notable events Lowe’s camera captured were the siege of Sarajevo during the collapse of the former Yugoslavia; the fall of the Berlin Wall; and the release from prison of South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela.

Lowe’s wife, Amra Abadzic Lowe, told the New York Times that her son Emir had been struggling with mental health problems, including psychosis, for a year. He recently took a trip to the United States, but when he didn’t return home for over two months, his father flew to California out of concern.

While the pair were driving through the mountains, they stopped at a viewpoint on Mount Baldy Road when the incident occurred.

“As parents, we felt like we could help him,” Amra said. “We never expected such a result.”

As an advisor to the World Press Photo Foundation, Lowe’s photojournalism has appeared in publications including Time, Life, Newsweekand the Independent. For over two decades he taught courses on photographic documentation of conflict at the University of the Arts (UAL) London as part of the master’s program in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography, which he co-developed. He was represented by the London photo agency Panos Pictures.

“Paul’s work throughout his career has had a groundbreaking impact on the representation of war and conflict and, most recently, on the complex cultural negotiations involved in peace and reconciliation work,” UAL’s statement said, noting that he was “an incredible legacy as… leaves behind”. As an award-winning photographer, author, critic and, last but not least, a truly compassionate educator.”

Most recently, Lowe’s works were exhibited in the group exhibition at the Gallery of Contemporary Art of Albania in Tirana Visual poetry for social photographywhich ran from September 3rd to October 10th. Lowe traveled to the exhibition opening, the gallery said in an Instagram post expressing its sadness at the news of his untimely death.

Hyperallergic has contacted UAL, Gallery of Contemporary Art Tirana and Panos Pictures for comment.