My life in a Camera: Joby Hickey

This is a very good time for Italish! Lots of news peeped out in our blog, and now I wanna share with you a real gem! I had the lovely pleasure to meet one of the most creative artist of the Duke Street Gallery today: I’m talking about Joby Hickey. So pleasant and kind, Joby Hickey accepted with pleasure to answer to some questions of mine!

Following his father’s footsteps, the artist Patrick Hickey, Joby completed one’s studies at the National Gallery of Art and Design; but his real passion comes from his father, who gives a boost to him since he was a child to express himself and all his skills.

Italish:
Your very first inspiration comes from your father. What do you have in common with him?

JH: I think that the most similar thing we have in common is the naturalness with which we try to express the world around us, everything we can see. Every simple thing can be pervaded by an extraordinary graphic meaning.

After graduation, he moves to London, where he starts working in cinema and documentary industry. Approaching this world, Joby finds out his passion for photography and he starts to develop his own photography special techniques, attending the Photography course in London for 5 years. His artistic style , one of a kind, draws inspiration from his love for vintage films .

Italish:
Apart from your father, how did you approach photography world?

JH: I was 10 years old when I received my first camera. I had never felt in that way before. I thought that that strange object was something magic, and that it had got the power to carry me to another reality, attracting me and my attention, just because this is what a camera does! It “attracts” and encloses in itself all the world around, on the contrary of a torch, for example, that releases its own light outwards. Moreover, another important element for my passion have been black and white vintage films: I loved and I love still now spending my afternoons watching and watching again, many times in a day, black and white old movies… They are so full of secrets , and I always try to catch them for my work!

Italish:
Why do you love taking photos and painting everyday things like cars, buildings?

JH: Actually , to be honest, I love surrounding me by simple things, and so I love painting all the simple things around me and so everyday things as cars, buses, streets. All of this is part of the reality around me, and just catching these short moments I can live my life completely in reality.

His skills carried Joby to have his works in many exhibition all around the world, from London to New York, to the Annual Exhibition at the Hibernian Accademy of Dublin, and his painting are in several collections around the world as well, from Tokyo to Brussels, from Paris to Los Angeles. But his heart always remains in his native country, Ireland.

Italish:
How is your relationship with your native country?

JH: Ireland is a magic place, it can give you the chance to see gorgeous visions, little corners with amazing landscapes . I believe it’s a perfect place for a journey: you can have the chance to find out new realities, new colours, in other words, it’s a never ending discovery!

Italish:
Bloomsday is near [Interview was taken before June 16th]. Dublin is so excited for the event celebrating James Joyce and Ulysses. Do you think that his works have been influential on your art?

JH: For sure! James Joyce has the power to influence all the artists! All kidding aside, Joyce has really influenced my work. My father was in love with him and he has succeeded to pass down to me this passion as well! I was 17 when I read one of his work for the first time, Dubliners, and then he completely endear me!

Italish:
Your plans for Duke Street Gallery’s Bloomsday exhibition?

JH: I’ve given to the gallery a very interesting work, a James Joyce photo-portrait… I wish the audience will like that!
And I’ll be at the gallery on June 14th for sure, on the opening exhibition, ready to catch the best moments of the night with my camera, in order to have good shoots and negatives…
Maybe they could be my next inspiration for a new good work!