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Guy Dickinson
Guy describes himself as an architect / wanderer. Now in its 7th year his tracing silence project continues to search for the quintessential manifestation of place.
Michéla Griffith
In 2012 I paused by my local river and everything changed. I’ve moved away from what many expect photographs to be: my images deconstruct the literal and reimagine the subjective, reflecting the curiosity that water has inspired in my practice. Water has been my conduit: it has sharpened my vision, given me permission to experiment and continues to introduce me to new ways of seeing.
The still point in the turning world ~ T. S. Eliot, Burnt Norton, 1935
Twitter doesn’t really do justice to Guy’s richly complex images, but that’s where I came across his work. For something that’s supposed to be about words I’ve been finding it a good source of inspiring art in all media – more so than some of the other platforms which only show you what you already like and interact with - unless it’s paid for ;-) But back to Guy.
Can you tell readers a little about yourself – your education, early interests and career?
I grew up in Thirsk, North Yorkshire; a small market town nestled between the Dales and the Moors. The small woods and streams, within walking distance of our family home, were my playground; explored alone or with friends. We had a lot more freedom back then, flitting from the innocent to the dangerous. Those days of discovery, venturing further and further into the unknown, were no doubt where my appetite for the great outdoors originated.
Growing up in a small town can be suffocating. Triggered by my parent’s separation, I rebelled. Deracinated, I followed New Model Army up and down the country, hitching and living out of a kit bag; that experience definitely fuelled my interest in wayfaring. Yorkshire’s industrial heritage was collapsing everywhere and sources of income were drying up. It was a desperate situation, mass youth unemployment and a real sense of disenfranchisement. Paid fees and a maintenance grant provided me with the opportunity to move on through study.
I left Yorkshire at 18 for London where I obtained a First Class BA (Hons) Degree in Architecture at the University of Greenwich and a post-graduate Diploma at the Bartlett, UCL. My architectural education was fascinating. I don’t think I produced a single building, or what most would consider a building, in my 5 years of study. I will probably refer back to architecture a lot during this interview; it’s such an integral part of who I am, the way I see.