Simon Henwood facts for kids

Simon Henwood (born March 31, 1965, died January 21, 2024) was a talented British artist, author, and film director. He was also well-known for directing music videos. Simon first gained attention for writing children's books. Later, his paintings, which often showed themes of growing up, became popular. He was famous for directing the music video for Kanye West's song "Love Lockdown". He also helped create the look and feel for Rihanna's Rated R album.

Simon Henwood's Career

Simon Henwood was born in Portsmouth, England. In 1986, he earned his art degree from Exeter College of Art and Design. Many of Henwood's paintings focused on what it's like to be young. His artwork was shown in famous places like London's Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Writing and Publishing

Henwood wrote and drew pictures for a series of children's books. These books were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some of his books include A Piece of Luck (1990) and The Troubled Village (1991).

In 1993, Henwood created an illustrated magazine called Purr. In the same year, he started a record label. This label released music by artists like Iggy Pop and Sonic Youth. He also made a short film called Alice and a second magazine with the same name. This magazine looked at how childhood is shown in art and media. In 2001, Henwood created an animated TV series called Johnny Pumpkin.

Music Video Direction

Simon Henwood was also very well-known for directing music videos. He started working with HSI London in 2004. He directed videos for many artists, including Apollo 440, Badly Drawn Boy, Delays, Devendra Banhart, and Imogen Heap.

In 2008, he directed Kanye West's music video for "Love Lockdown". This video was nominated for several awards at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. These included Video of the Year and Best Hip-Hop Video.

Work with Rihanna

In 2009, pop star Rihanna chose Henwood to be the creative director for her album Rated R. He designed the album's logo and created the overall style for the album, its music videos, and TV commercials. He also helped with Rihanna's tour, including the stage design, costumes, and background visuals.

In 2010, a photo book called Rihanna: The Last Girl on Earth was released. This book showed Henwood's work for the pop star.

Other Artistic Contributions

Henwood also painted the cover for the album Ruby Blue by Irish singer-songwriter Róisín Murphy. He also directed the music videos for her songs "If We're in Love", "Sow into You", and "Movie Star."

Music Video Filmography

• 2002
  • "You Were Right" – Badly Drawn Boy

• 2003
  • "Dude Descending a Staircase" – Apollo 440

• 2005
  • "If We're in Love" – Róisín Murphy
  • "Sow into You" – Róisín Murphy
  • "Heard Somebody Say" – Devendra Banhart

• 2006
  • "Kelepçe" – Hande Yener
  • "Valentine" – Delays
  • "Hideaways" – Delays
  • "Headlock" – Imogen Heap

• 2007
  • "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)" – Groove Armada featuring Mutya Buena

• 2008
  • "Love Lockdown" – Kanye West