Studio Simple

Partners

Margherita Allievi

Margherita Allievi is a multidisciplinary photographer and digital storyteller whose work resides at the intersection of fine art, fashion, and portraiture. Originally from Milan and now based in London, Margherita is a graduate of the BA Fashion Photography program at the University of the Arts London and the MA Digital Direction course at the Royal College of Art. Her practice is deeply rooted in visual storytelling that interrogates contemporary identity.

Driven by an enduring fascination with the human condition, Margherita explores themes of individuality, societal constructs, and the complex nature of identity through self-portraits and portraits of others. Through an aesthetic that often blends surrealism with whimsical, conceptual portraiture, their imagery seeks to unravel how we present ourselves and our identity in today's society.

Whether capturing the still vulnerability of a subject or constructing dreamlike, psychologically charged tableaux, Margherita uses the camera as a mirror, reflecting upon the complexities of who we are and the many roles we play. The work invites viewers to pause, look closer, and ask: who are we and what is our relationship with others? Where does the façade end, and the truth begin?

Margherita has exhibited at Saatchi Gallery (London), Cromwell Place (London), CICA Museum (Seoul), Villa Arconati (Milan), Spazio Millepiani (Rome), Paris Photo Off (Paris).

Shahwali Shayan

Shahwali Shayan is a London-based Pakistani artist and creative technologist working at the intersection of art, technology, and critical storytelling. His practice uses augmented reality as both a conceptual framework and an artistic medium, exploring how digital systems can reshape perceptions of the everyday and open up new modes of engagement with space, memory, and identity. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2023 with an MA in Digital Direction.

Informed by intensive autoethnographic research and influenced by Dadaist approaches, his work often begins with physical artefacts and handmade objects, personal materials, and 3D-scanned forms, which are translated into digital and spatial experiences. Through this process, he investigates how the mundane can be destabilised and recontextualised within immersive environments. His work has been presented internationally through site-responsive installations in Paris and Berlin; and he has also exhibited at Saatchi Gallery, Frameless London, Outernet London, and SXSW in Texas.

Alongside his artistic practice, Shahwali is an educator and lecturer at the Royal College of Art, where he teaches augmented reality and emerging spatial media. He also works closely with Snap Inc. and its philanthropy team, leading educational programmes and workshops focused on access, skills development, and creative technology.

In parallel, he runs Shahnanigans, a creative studio specialising in augmented reality and interactive media. Through the studio, he has delivered projects for organisations and brands including the BBC, Samsung, Netflix, Adobe, Hugo Boss, Disney, and Sony Music.

Asher Yang

Asher Yang is a British-Korean audiovisual artist and educator based in London. His work spans 3D animation, projection mapping, virtual reality, moving image, music and sound design, exploring themes of cultural identity and the abstraction of emotion and shared human experience through a focus on storytelling and worldbuilding.

Fascinated by human behaviours and emotions, and the tension between individuality and universal patterns, especially in a cultural context, his work invites reflection on self- and perceived-identity, interpersonal relationships, and empathy within an increasingly cynical cultural landscape. Working as a generalist, he also enjoys collaborating with like-minded artists across disciplines, taking on roles such as composer for short films, sound designer for live theatre, and animator for large-scale installations. This collaborative practice now informs his role as Co-Director of Studio Simple.

His work has been presented internationally, including at Saatchi Gallery, Riverside Studios, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Vienna Shorts, and Cromwell Place. Alongside his artistic practice, Asher currently lectures at Brunel University, leading modules in Immersive Mixed Reality and Motion Graphics. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2022 with an MA in Digital Direction.