In 2009 Nick Waplington teamed up with Alexander McQueen to document his final autumn/winter Collection entitled The Horn of Plenty. The photographs will be displayed at the Nick Waplington/Alexander McQueen: Working Process exhibition opening at Tate Britain next week.
Best known for his documentary photography, Waplington’s candid approach breathes raw intensity and spontaneity into this series of backstage images. We see McQueen at work in every stage of stress and inspiration; including those moments of magic, where, as Waplington describes in this film, McQueen would make the final drastic alternations before the model stepped out onto the catwalk.
The final product of the collaboration was a book which artist and designer worked on together. Their selection is interspersed with Waplington’s photographs of local landfill sites. These reflect McQueen’s concept for The Horn of Plenty, which was to be the culmination of all past shows; recycling, reusing and reinventing past ideas. The images also indicate Waplington’s own love for documentary and conceptual work, breathing into the project the cyclical notion of waste and creative rebirth.
Tate have created a raw, touching short film which contextualizes the upcoming exhibition. We see Nick Waplington as an artist, individual and finally, the friend of Alexander McQueen:
“I feel like I’m looking after part of his legacy now, with this work… It’s such a shame he’s not there to see it, but it’s a time to celebrate him, not to be sad anymore.” Nick Waplington
Nick Waplington/Alexander McQueen: Working Process runs Tuesday 10th – May 17 2015 at Tate Britain, coinciding with Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A, March 14- August 2.