MOODBOARD

NICK WAPLINGTON

Nick Waplington is a British artist and photographer. He first developed interest in photography in 1984, when he would visit his grandfather on the Broxtown estate in Nottingham and regularly photograph his surroundings. He began experimenting taking photos of his friends and family, which led to become his body of work – starting with his first photobook in 1991 titled ‘Living Room’ where he spent four years documenting the daily lives of two families living on a council estate in Nottingham, capturing the raw, unfiltered lives of working-class Britain through a range of candid images. This series inspires me because of how Waplington captures the essence of British culture through candid photos, and how everything is stripped down to the point you can almost feel the atmosphere in the images, almost as if you are in the living room with him.

Of all Nicks work, the project that stood out most to me is his photobook Anaglypta. Containing over 500 images, Waplington produced this photobook over the span of almost 40 years, in three different continents, of what seem to be friends and acquaintances in the punk/raver/left wing protestor scenes in London and in the earlier years of the book, more so in New York. In some ways it is percieved as a non-linear documentation of Waplington’s life – in his words the book is ‘anything you want it to be.’ What stood out to me about this book is seeing Waplington’s photography style improve and change over the years, and the wide range of setting and subject featured in this zine, which has inspired me to go out different places to document as much as i can. This book is similar to my theme, as it focuses on identity within different communities, not just in Waplingtons hometown, but around the world.

GIOIA DE BRUIJIN

Born in, in, Gioia de Bruijn views community and identity through her own eyes, capturing the hedonistic lives of adolescents around the world through raw and intimate images. Her photobook ‘Weekend Warriors’ is a documentation of the rave and afterparty culture in London, Amsterdam and Berlin. She follows around a group of friends, photographing them at their highs and lows and captures the essence of youth through a showcase of grainy black-and-white images. Bruijin’s work inspires me because there is an element of togetherness found within the rave community that she perfectly depicts and although some of her work may be controversial, it is realistic and relatable, which is why it inspires me.

Another work by De Bruijin that inspires me is her photobook ‘Smells like Summer’ A mix of landscape and portrait photography, she perfectly creates the vibe of summer within her work, immersing the viewer in her images to the point they can almost feel the cool summer breeze. De Bruijins work, this zine in particular, is simple yet so effective in the way she captures youth enjoying summer days through candid photographs, like the one above. Lighting and setting play a big role in this project, e.g this image of a group of teenagers stood outside an ice cream shop, such a stereotypical scene that viewers find themselves relating to this image and feeling a sense of connection, which ultimately is the whole concept of identity and community through De Bruijin’s eyes.

TOBIAS ZIELONY

Tobias Zielony is a German photographer and filmmaker. His work revolves around teenage communities in public spaces. Here, they are in command, with nobody to tell them what do to; here, they are among their own kind. Regardless of where his pictures are taken – whether in Wales, Marseille or Los Angeles – the subject is the same. In his words, “The places have nothing in common, and yet they form the background for very similar events. Everywhere, there are people hanging out on the street.” While studying Documentary Photography at the University of Wales, Zielony was first drawn to “anti-social” youth culture in Britain. In shady Bristol car parks, his series Car Park captured listless young Brits in a desolate urban landscape, depicting teenage society through a display of images, dimly lit by the flame of a lighter.

His photobook Curfew is a more surreal depiction of youth culture. Subtitled ‘A Journey into the Night’, the book shows average activities in a hedonistic teenage life through raw and gritty images – the photos are thrown at us without filter for an insight into what teenagers do when left to their own devices. When speaking about his book, Zielony said ‘There was a time in my childhood when I had to return home when the streetlights were turned on. The young people I photographed in Bristol, Newport, and Cwmbran prefer to stay out later. Hanging around bus stops, street corners, car parks and wastelands at the edge of town, they wait for something to happen. Some of them however have got into trouble. It is only since the beginning of the year 2001 that the police have imposed curfews on individuals. James, Nathan, John, Craig, Lee, they all to have to be back home at nine o’clock p.m. and stay in all night with the police calling every so often to check if they accord to the curfew.’

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