Acknowledged as one of the most influential UK photographers of the 21st century, Simon Wheatley emerged as an authoritative chronicler of London’s youth culture with the publication of his book, DON’T CALL ME URBAN The Time of Grime’ in 2010.
Photographed: Crazy Titch and friend
Photographed: Headie One, RV and Abracadabra
Photographed: Roll Deep
Simon Wheatley’s recent collaboration with the UK’s hottest streetwear brand Corteiz reinforced his reputation as one of the most influential British photographers of the 21st century. His book DON’T CALL ME URBAN! The Time of Grime, which analysed the social dimensions that gave birth to the UK’s most important musical genre since punk has been a classic since its 2010 release and is recognised by the brand as its visual inspiration.
His current exhibition of his book Silverlink at the Leica gallery in Mayfair, which headlined PhotoLondon 2024, reflects his long relationship with the prestigious Leica camera company. Silverlink is typically political work - a glimpse into the ambivalence of the Blair years as seen through a train line that traversed the socially polarised inner suburbs of North London. At the end of 2023 he published another book from his year in the French banlieue in the aftermath of the riots of 2005, made during his brief but spectacular spell with the Magnum agency.
In 2018 Simon was invited to be the in-house photographer at London’s Abbey Road Studios and held this position for five years. He continues to lend his documentary expertise and cultural relevance to Abbey Road as the judge of the subcultural category for the MPAs.
Guest judge for the Underground Music Scenes category.