Dexter McLean

Dexter McLean is a London-based, Jamaican-born artist photographer who recently graduated from Middlesex University with a distinction grade MA in Photography. His work focuses on disabled communities, particularly those which are underrepresented in mainstream media.

To see more of the artist, please visit his website, or his Instagram. You may also contact him through his email, d.mcleanphotography@hotmail.com.

About:

Dexter’s work aims to accurately depict the challenges disabled people face in contemporary society. His method operates in the space between documentary and portraiture. Through his work, Dexter aims to show that disabled people can achieve success despite the odds being stacked against them. He believes there are fundamental flaws in the way mainstream media represent the disabled community, and aims to correct this.

As an infant in Jamaica, Dexter was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. He faced many challenges growing up as a disabled child – at times having to crawl on his hands and knees due to a lack of wheelchairs or crutches. When he was nine years old, he moved to the United Kingdom. As a young man, his aunt bought him his first camera. He became obsessed with it, and this became the starting point of his artistic career. Dexter was fortunate to study Photography in his education, starting with his Art GSCE’s and ending with his distinction grade MA in Photography from Middlesex University. Dexter credits these institutions and their formal training for developing his skills.

Dexter has experimented with analogue film and medium format cameras, but prefers to work with a digital camera because of his Cerebral Palsy. Digital cameras allow him to work with an app connected to the camera wirelessly, so that he may more easily change camera settings. He takes most of his images in colour, but has recently completed a project in black and white. He plans on experimenting with a square format for his next set of images, as this is something different than his past work.

Dexter’s work focuses on his own existence as a disabled man in the twenty-first century. His photographs examine disabled and black people, and the culture around these identities. This approach means his work is somewhat a reflection of his own life. As such, representation is a central value to his work. Ultimately, the artist hopes to impact the mainstream media's view of disability and black culture.

Dexter says, ‘I don't think disabled people are given enough credit in the media. They look down on disabled people. I want to show that a disabled person can be in society doing whatever they want to do.’

Dexter’s art advocates for a normal life. He doesn’t want people to feel sorry for disabled people, he doesn’t want society to put them in a box.

Dexter was recently commissioned by Autograph; a visual art center in Shoreditch. The commission, entitled ‘Care|Contagion|Community - Self & Other’, is a set of portraits looking at the value of close relationships during Covid-19. Highlighting the importance of his community during the pandemic.

The artist is hoping to soon return to Jamaica to photograph underrepresented disabled communities there. He wants to reframe the way in which the western world looks at the country, with the hopes of raising awareness, and in turn funds, for the disabled community there.

Dexter was awarded the MACK First Book Award 2021 for his work Tower Avenue.