1854 Presents: Donovan Wylie on the architecture of conflict

Photographer Donovan Wylie discusses past work, and the role of the artist in times, and places, of conflict

“Conflict is a really hard idea to represent,” Says photographer Donovan Wylie. With a focus on the nature of architecture in places of conflict, Wylie has built his career on a methodology of memory, transience, and a deep understanding of how the buildings around us shape society. With projects such as The Maze, Wylie uses an operational approach in his image making, meditating on the nature of military architectural complexes in both his home country of Ireland and worldwide. 

A Bafta owner with work exhibited in the Imperial War Museum, The Photographers’ Gallery, as well as the MoMa, Wiley’s projects have been viewed internationally for decades. Answering questions on national identity, his largest influences, and the role of artists in conflict, Wylie gives a retrospective look into the concepts and histories embedded within his images.