Hackney Riviera

"This series came together organically as I photographed my London neighbourhood throughout last summer’s World Cup. Most of the images were made at a secret swimming spot on the River Lea in Hackney. I see the work as a metaphor for the merriment and positivity of the British people at a time of turmoil and indecision caused by Brexit. Hackney is an outward looking, inclusive community with people from around the world. The community here endeavours to enjoy life against these obstacles put in place by the powers that be. These pictures are a reflection of a place and a time, a special moment, a very special summer." —Nick Waplington 

Nick Waplington (born in Aden, Yemen, 1965) is a British artist living between London and New York. He has published extensively throughout his career, including Safety in Numbers (1997), Truth or Consequences (2001), Working Process (2013), a collaboration with Alexander McQueen, Hackney Riviera (2019), and Anaglypta (2020). Waplington has exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, and in 2015, was the first living British artist to have a solo photographic exhibition in the main galleries of Tate Britain, London.