Nick Waplington shares the best of his archive

For the first time in his 40 year career, the work of Nick Waplington has come together in a retrospective book, Nick Waplington: Comprehensive. The survey book from Phaidon — launching at The Photographer’s Gallery in London on 13 October — includes both famed works and never-before-published images, from the series documenting anarchy and adrenaline of riots in the 80s to the messy clubs, parties and after parties across NYC in the 90s. There is also, of course, intimate insights into family living rooms in Midlands homes that first captured the world’s interest at the turn of the millennium. Here, Nick takes us through some of his favourite archival photographs included in the book.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a mother and her three daughters in their living room from The Living Room series. — From the Living Room series. Early 1990s Nottingham. A mother and three of her children.

From the Living Room series. Early 90s, Nottingham. A mother and three of her children.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of surfers rioting, burning cars and surfboards.

Surf Riot, 31 August 1986, Huntington Beach, California. During a riot at the OP surf pro competition.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a man sat in a living room with a kid with a dummy playing with the camera and another on the sofa from The Living Room Series.

From the Living Room series. 1987, Nottingham.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a party goer wearing a mini dress and heels dancing in a new york club in the early 1990s

A Sunday afternoon dance party in a downtown nightclub. Early 90s, New York.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of those visiting the seaside, with divers and locals sitting on the rocks from The Corinthian Series

From the Corinthian series. A work made on Plymouth Hoe from 2005 to 2008.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a close up of someone's face taken on a London dance floor in 1996 from The Safety in Numbers series

From the Safety in Numbers series. Taken on a dance floor in London in 1996.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a woman sat pointing a toy gun at a child head who is holding a mug, taken from the book ‘Weddings, Parties, Anything’

A continuation of the Living Room series, taken from the book Weddings, Parties, Anything. 1994, Nottingham.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a man with an owl standing in a dirty kitchen from the book

A continuation of the Living Room series, taken from the book Weddings, Parties, Anything. 1995, Nottingham.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of a man in silk green shorts, fish nets, socks and rollerblading

Early 90s, Limelight Club, New York.

Photograph by Nick Waplington of his friends in the early 1990s sitting on a leopard print sofa with a bong in front of them.

These were friends of mine in the early 90s, Los Angeles.

Signed copies of ‘Nick Waplington: Comprehensive’ are available from 13 October at The Photographer’s Gallery.

Credits

All images courtesy of Nick Waplington