Nick Waplington
Encyclopedia
The artist and photographer Nick Waplington was born 1970 in Aden
and lives in New York City. The eldest of three children, he traveled extensively during his childhood as his father worked as a scientist in the nuclear industry. He studied art at Worthing Art College, Trent Poly and The Royal College in London. He is noted for his conceptual approach to photography.
From 1982 Waplington would regularly visit his grandfather on the Broxtowe Estate in Nottingham where he began to photograph his immediate surroundings. Friends and neighbours of his family became his subject matter of choice. He continued with this work on and off for the next 15 years and from it came two books (Living Room and Weddings, Parties, Anything, both Aperture Foundation
) and numerous exhibitions. (The book Weddings, Parties, Anything was called The Wedding for the American version only.)
Other Edens (Aperture 1994) focused on environmental concerns and, although it was conceived and worked on at the same time as 'Living Room', was seen as a major departure in style and content. This work is global in nature and its ideas are ambiguous and multi-layered.
Other bodies of work include the much-copied Safety in Numbers (Booth Clibborn Editions 1997), a bleak study of E culture in the mid-1990s, and The Indecisive Memento, a global road trip where the journey itself was the artwork (Booth Clibborn Editions 1999).
Waplington's next published work was Truth or Consequences (Phaidon 2001), a pictorial game based on the history of photography using the town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
as a backdrop. In this work the rules of the 1950s television show inspired the concept of Waplington's photographic project.
"Learn how to die the easy way" (Trolley Books
, 2002) Waplington's contribution to the Venice Biennale in 2001, expresses a yearning for the artistic and commercial freedom that the web might yet expose and a celebration of the dislocated reason behind conventional thoughts and media. "If, as I suspect," says Waplington, "the Internet has broken the stranglehold of governments and large media corporations on mass communication, then we could be in for a very exciting period of development on a number of different levels. Would a breakdown of current modes of social, moral and political cohesion be too much for a man to ask for?"
His other photographic books include You Love Life, (Trolley Books
, 2005) in which the photographer uses pictures taken over a 20 year period to construct an autobiographical narrative.
Waplington's graphic novel "Terry Painter" was made in collaboration with Miguel Calderon
in 2003. This and other projects with Calderon including "The Garden of Suburban Delights" have been exhibited in Europe and the US.
In December 2007, the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London showed his slide show of found internet photos, entitled "Synethesia". Also to be published are a series of ten books of found imagery called "You Are Only What You See,", with a separate catalog of original photos by Waplington called 'Double Dactyl' (Trolley Books
, 2008).
Waplington worked on a major book project with the fashion designer Alexander McQueen
during 2008/2009. The book was completed, edited and ready for publication by Waplington and McQueen at the time of McQueen's untimely death in 2010.
2011 has seen two new books from Waplington, 'Surf Riot' published by Little Big Man of New York City and the self published printed on demand title 'Lackadaisical' a work that changes with every 100 copies printed.
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
and lives in New York City. The eldest of three children, he traveled extensively during his childhood as his father worked as a scientist in the nuclear industry. He studied art at Worthing Art College, Trent Poly and The Royal College in London. He is noted for his conceptual approach to photography.
From 1982 Waplington would regularly visit his grandfather on the Broxtowe Estate in Nottingham where he began to photograph his immediate surroundings. Friends and neighbours of his family became his subject matter of choice. He continued with this work on and off for the next 15 years and from it came two books (Living Room and Weddings, Parties, Anything, both Aperture Foundation
Aperture Foundation
The Aperture Foundation was founded in 1952 by Ansel Adams, Minor White, Barbara Morgan, Dorothea Lange, Nancy Newhall, Beaumont Newhall, Ernest Louie, Melton Ferris, and Dody Warren. Their vision was to create a forum for fine art photography, a new concept at the time. The first issue of...
) and numerous exhibitions. (The book Weddings, Parties, Anything was called The Wedding for the American version only.)
Other Edens (Aperture 1994) focused on environmental concerns and, although it was conceived and worked on at the same time as 'Living Room', was seen as a major departure in style and content. This work is global in nature and its ideas are ambiguous and multi-layered.
Other bodies of work include the much-copied Safety in Numbers (Booth Clibborn Editions 1997), a bleak study of E culture in the mid-1990s, and The Indecisive Memento, a global road trip where the journey itself was the artwork (Booth Clibborn Editions 1999).
Waplington's next published work was Truth or Consequences (Phaidon 2001), a pictorial game based on the history of photography using the town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Truth or Consequences is a spa city and the county seat of Sierra County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 7,289. It is commonly known within New Mexico as T or C....
as a backdrop. In this work the rules of the 1950s television show inspired the concept of Waplington's photographic project.
"Learn how to die the easy way" (Trolley Books
Trolley Books
Trolley Books is an independent UK publisher, specialising in art and photography books. Areas covered by Trolley include social reportage, photojournalism/current affairs and contemporary art and architecture....
, 2002) Waplington's contribution to the Venice Biennale in 2001, expresses a yearning for the artistic and commercial freedom that the web might yet expose and a celebration of the dislocated reason behind conventional thoughts and media. "If, as I suspect," says Waplington, "the Internet has broken the stranglehold of governments and large media corporations on mass communication, then we could be in for a very exciting period of development on a number of different levels. Would a breakdown of current modes of social, moral and political cohesion be too much for a man to ask for?"
His other photographic books include You Love Life, (Trolley Books
Trolley Books
Trolley Books is an independent UK publisher, specialising in art and photography books. Areas covered by Trolley include social reportage, photojournalism/current affairs and contemporary art and architecture....
, 2005) in which the photographer uses pictures taken over a 20 year period to construct an autobiographical narrative.
Waplington's graphic novel "Terry Painter" was made in collaboration with Miguel Calderon
Miguel Calderón
Miguel Calderón is a Mexican artist, actor, and writer. He is best known for his work titled "Aggressively Mediocre/Mentally Challenged/Fantasy Island " which was part of a 1998 exhibit and was bought by Wes Anderson and shown in the film The Royal Tenenbaums. He received his BFA at the San...
in 2003. This and other projects with Calderon including "The Garden of Suburban Delights" have been exhibited in Europe and the US.
In December 2007, the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London showed his slide show of found internet photos, entitled "Synethesia". Also to be published are a series of ten books of found imagery called "You Are Only What You See,", with a separate catalog of original photos by Waplington called 'Double Dactyl' (Trolley Books
Trolley Books
Trolley Books is an independent UK publisher, specialising in art and photography books. Areas covered by Trolley include social reportage, photojournalism/current affairs and contemporary art and architecture....
, 2008).
Alexander McQueen
Lee Alexander McQueen, CBE was a British fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows...
during 2008/2009. The book was completed, edited and ready for publication by Waplington and McQueen at the time of McQueen's untimely death in 2010.
2011 has seen two new books from Waplington, 'Surf Riot' published by Little Big Man of New York City and the self published printed on demand title 'Lackadaisical' a work that changes with every 100 copies printed.
Public collections
- Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
- Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
- The British Council, London, England
- National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia
- Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
- The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, England
- The Castle Museum, Nottingham, England
- The Glasgow Museum, Scotland
- The Royal Danish Photographic Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The Harris Museum, England
- The National Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, England
- The Government Art Collection, London, England
- The Victoria and Albert Museum, London,England