Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots

Opening in the Terrace Rooms this October, Somerset House proudly presents the first major solo exhibition by pioneering Black British photographer, Jennie Baptiste, who has been using her lens to document the dynamic spirit of youth culture, music, fashion, and urban life within the Black British diaspora in London since the 1990s.

This powerful celebration brings together both rare and recognised works, alongside exploratory pieces, and unseen images from Baptiste’s personal archive spanning three decades. These images will be brought to life by specially commissioned music mixes from some of the pioneering London hip-hop DJs she captured - offering an auditory insight into the exciting and changing times she has documented.

The exhibition forms a highlight of Somerset House’s 25th birthday programme, championing bold, inclusive, and trailblazing creativity.

Born in London to parents who migrated from St. Lucia in the 1960s, Jennie Baptiste roots her photographic process in authenticity and has often turned her lens to the ‘everyday icons’ within vibrant music cultures like dancehall and hip-hop.

The impact of post-Windrush and Caribbean communities, in addition to American hip-hop influences, is evident in her photographs, and the lasting and continuing influence these cultures have on younger generations of Black British diaspora can also be seen.

With an early interest in the aesthetics of collage in her teenage years, Baptiste subsequently became interested in developing her own images, spending time in the darkroom experimenting with the photographic process - layering negatives on top of each other, exploring tonal elements, and using different developer chemicals.

It is this combination of capturing exciting and dynamic communities, paired with an interest in experimental photography practice, that gives a vibrancy and energy to Jennie Baptiste’s photographs.

Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots highlights the significant impact of Baptiste's work on culture, fashion, photography and the arts, and gives her work the recognition it has long deserved.

Jennie Baptiste said:

"This exhibition is a personal reflection on my journey as a photographer and a celebration of the vibrant, ever-evolving culture within the Black British community. Through my lens, I’ve sought to capture the energy, resilience, and creativity that has shaped youth culture, music, and fashion. 

My hope is that my photography inspires others to embrace their individuality and the power of their own creative voice."

Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots offers a visual narrative of the dynamic cultural movements that shaped and continue to define British music, fashion, and youth culture.

This includes Baptiste’s Dancehall series, a body of work she has revisited  consistently since 1990, showcasing the flamboyant style, bold self-expression, and kinetic energy of London’s dancehall scene; Brixton Boyz, a collection of late 90s street portraits that showcase the camaraderie and fashion of young Black men in Brixton, plus portraits of influential figures from the hip-hop and R&B scenes, including Roots Manuva, The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J Blige, Floetry, Chuck D, NAS, Ms Dynamite, Estelle, and Ty.

Informed by her love for music, Baptiste platformed the people behind the sounds that defined the 1990s and 2000s.

This is further shown in Revolutions @ 33 1/3rpm, an in-depth documentation of London’s late 90s hip-hop DJ scene. Originally produced for Levi’s flagship Regent Street Store in May 1999, this series features portraits of influential DJs such as - 279, Teddy, Billy Bizness, Cutmaster Swift, Dave VJ, Kofi, Misbehaviour, MK, Pogo, Semtex, and Shortee Blitz. Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots marks the first time Revolutions @ 33 1/3rpm, has been exhibited since 1999.

The DJs featured in the photo series have each contributed a mix spanning 1989 to 2003, which will be played in the exhibition, recreating the immersive experience of discovering music during that period via record store listening stations.

Elsewhere, Baptiste’s conceptual series Black Chains of Icon combines portraiture, layered materials, lith printing, physical chains, and historical quotes and song lyrics, from figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Bob Marley, to create an installation that explores themes of identity and Black history.

Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots is curated by Kinnari Saraiya, Curator at Somerset House.

Kinnari Saraiya said:

"We are delighted to be hosting the first major solo survey of Jennie Baptiste’s photography, as part of our 25th birthday programming. 

"While Jennie’s photographs have been showcased in some groundbreaking exhibitions over many years including in ‘The Missing Thread’ at Somerset House in 2023, it is an honour to host her first solo exhibition, and this is the first time her archive of music, youth culture, and fashion images has been spotlighted. 

"Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots is an opportunity to celebrate Jennie’s trailblazing three-decade long photography practice.”

Jennie Baptiste has been specially commissioned to shoot portraits of the recipients of Somerset House's Talent 25 initiative, to showcase the creative connection and diverse creativity that is fostered at Somerset House. These portraits will be exhibited during Somerset House’s Step Inside 25th Birthday weekend.

Upgrade Yourself, Somerset House’s programme dedicated to supporting aspiring creatives aged 18-30 to make meaningful connections with like-minded individuals and network with industry professionals, will host a one-night takeover of Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots on Thursday 13th November between 18:00 – 22:00. For more information and to keep up to date with the Upgrade Yourself programme, please visit https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/talent-pathways/upgrade-yourself-16-30

More information including details about Relaxed Sessions, Exhibition Tours and the Digital Programme to follow.