Matthew Dakin Photographer

Born in London, England in 1974, by a New Zealander father and Vietnamese mother.  Then raised in Canada, where Matthew began his formal photographic training at Ryerson University in Toronto, receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Photographic Arts in 1997.  Following graduation, Matthew began his practical training, assisting some leading commercial photographers in the Toronto scene. 
 
After acquiring some valuable experience, he set off to practice his trade, traveling to various parts of Europe and Asia.  When Matthew became entranced by the raw elegance of Hanoi, he decided immediately to base himself there, and has been here for the past 12 years working as a commercial photographer and developing and exhibiting artistic projects. His projects constantly bring him around the developing country, inspiring him to capture a vital and intriguing Vietnam.
 
 Deconstruct
 
This series of photomontages thread together images of a common theme, uncovering the interaction of parts with the uniform whole.  Markers and signals surround us, inanimate and animate objects that communicate to us actively.  This is the chaos that evokes a range of possible messages.  Suddenly these pieces of chaos, which were ordinary and known in their singularity, are deconstructed, transformed, and communicated.  From this cloud of disorder, its unassuming existence is revealed.
 
These photomontages are printed double sided on 5mm plexi-glass with a UV printer.  The print is mounted on a custom bent and rusted metal frame, and light from behind with a LED light strip. 
 
 ‘Doors of Hanoi’ is comprised of select doors around Hanoi, capturing patterns, textures, and layers that bring out contrasting elements of the city.  By bringing all of these unique Hanoi doors together in a specimen construct, we can start to see the result of the city’s fascinating blending architectural layers.