Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots
A landmark exhibition celebrating Jennie Baptiste, a defining voice in British photography — capturing the sound, style, and spirit of Black British youth culture from the 1990s to today.
| Dates | 17 Oct 2025–4 Jan 2026 |
| Times | Sun–Wed 10am–6pm Thu & Fri 12–8pm Sat 10am–8pm |
| Space | Terrace Rooms |
| Price | Pay what you can |
This autumn, Somerset House presents Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots — the first major solo exhibition from pioneering Black British photographer Jennie Baptiste.
Spanning three decades of photography, the exhibition showcases iconic and previously unseen portraits from Baptiste’s archive, celebrating the rich cultural influence of Black British communities across music, fashion, and youth identity. From the flamboyant energy of London’s dancehall scene to the rise of hip hop and R&B, Baptiste’s lens offers a vital visual record of a generation in motion.
Visitors will encounter defining images of figures including Roots Manuva, Estelle, Ms Dynamite and NAS, as well as street portraits of everyday icons from 1990s Brixton and beyond. A highlight includes the return of Revolutions @33 1/3 rpm — Baptiste’s seminal documentation of London’s hip hop DJ scene, exhibited here for the first time since 1999, complete with original mixes from the DJs she photographed.
The exhibition also features Black Chains of Icon, a powerful conceptual series exploring themes of Black identity, resilience, and legacy through layered materials, historic quotes, and experimental printing techniques.
Immersive and celebratory, Rhythm & Roots affirms Baptiste’s rightful place in the canon of British photography. Presented with a soundtrack of DJ-curated mixes, a public programme of talks, and creative responses from the community, this exhibition honours the sound, style, and stories that shaped a cultural movement — and continue to shape it today.
Header Image: Roots Manuva by Jennie Baptiste, 1999.