Page 69 - Powerlist 2020

Simon Frederick film-making and the actors, screenwriters and directors Media, Publishing & Entertainment

Artist, photographer, director that have contributed across the ages to its success. It will
feature a number of leading figures including Diahann

Carroll, Cuba Gooding Jnr, Laurence Fishburne and
Described as the “man shifting culture, one frame at Whoopi Goldberg.
a time”, Simon’s landmark exhibition Black is the New Simon began his career as a commercial photographer,
Black at the National Portrait Gallery celebrated the working with MTV, the BBC and record labels,
achievements of the British African-Caribbean community. documenting major artists such as Rihanna, Amy
It was the largest acquisition of portraits of African- Winehouse, Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Caribbean sitters in the gallery’s history, and has become He made the move into fine art photography and held
part of its permanent collection. exhibitions of his portraits, including the 2013 West End
The portraits were shot during the making of the 2016 show My Mates at Work, which featured Sadie Frost, David
BBC series of the same name, which featured icons and Harewood and art dealer Steve Lazarides.
achievers discussing what it means to be British and black. Simon has appeared as a judge on Sky Arts series
The four-part series featured figures from the worlds of Master of Photography alongside Isabella Rossellini.
politics, business, culture, religion and science. He has also served as a judge for the prestigious annual
Simon has now worked on a second series for the BBC World Photo Awards.
entitled They Gotta Have Us, which focuses on black Simon is writing the script for his debut feature film.

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