Nick Waplington
photographer
Nick Waplington is a British and American artist and photographer. Born in Aden, Yemen, he traveled extensively during his childhood before studying art at West Sussex College of Art & Design, Trent Polytechnic, and the Royal College of Art. He began photographing his immediate surroundings on the Broxtowe Estate in Nottingham in 1984, focusing on friends and neighbors. This work eventually led to his acclaimed first book, 'Living Room' (published by Aperture in 1991), which documented working-class life in Thatcher's Britain. His career has spanned various themes including environmental concerns ('Other Edens'), the ecstasy drug culture ('Safety in Numbers'), and autobiographical narratives ('You Love Life'). While primarily known for his photography, Waplington has also engaged in graphic novels, painting, and collaborative projects with designers like Alexander McQueen.[1,2]
- working-class life
- subcultures
- environmental concerns
- autobiography
Books
Works by Nick Waplington
- 1991 Living Room First book documenting lives on the Broxtowe housing estate in Nottingham.
- 1994 Other Edens Focused on environmental concerns.
- 1996 Weddings, Parties, Anything Includes an essay by Irvine Welsh.
- 1997 Safety in Numbers Study of the ecstasy drug culture in the mid-1990s.
- 1999 The Indecisive Memento A global road trip where the journey itself was the artwork.
- 2001 Truth or Consequences Pictorial game based on the history of photography.
- 2002 Learn how to die the easy way Contribution to a group exhibition at the Venice Biennale.
- 2003 Terry Painter Graphic novel in collaboration with Miguel Calderon.
- 2005 You Love Life Autobiographical narrative using pictures taken over a 20-year period.
- 2013 Working Process Collaboration with Alexander McQueen.
- 2014 Settlement Study of Jewish settlers living in the West Bank.
- 2019 Hackney Riviera Photography from a long, hot summer in London.
- 2020 Anaglypta 1980–2020 Edition of 1000 copies.
Exhibitions
- 1990 Living Room
- 1992 Living Room and Circles of Civilization
- 1994 Other Edens
- 1996 Weddings, Parties, Anything
- 2007 You Are Only What You See and Double Dactyl
- 2015 Working Process
- 1995 The Dead
- 2001 Learn How to Die the Easy Way
- 2016 This Place
Awards
- 1993 Infinity Award: Young Photographer