Dreaming Difference

David Williams is an Edinburgh-based photographic artist. He was Head of Photography at Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh. He retired from ECA in 2017. Prior to becoming involved in photography, he was a professional musician and songwriter, employed by Ringo Starr’s publishing house. Williams’ intensely lyrical, visually captivating work is exhibited internationally. His photographs have been published and anthologised throughout Europe, in the USA and in Japan. He has been the recipient of numerous prizes and awards. Most notably, he was presented with the BBC ‘150 Years of Photography’ award. He was also nominated for the highly prestigious ‘Kyoto Prize (Arts and Philosophy)’, in Japan. His work is held in the following collections: City Art Centre Edinburgh, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Equinor (Statoil) Art Collection Stavanger Norway, Ferens Art Gallery Hull, Fidelity Investments Corporate Art Collection USA, FNAC International Collection Paris, Iceland National Art Gallery Rekyjavik, The McManus Dundee, National Galleries of Scotland, Navigator Foundation, Boston, USA, Polaroid International Collection Westlicht Collection Vienna Austria, Standard Life Edinburgh, St Andrew’s University, State Street Bank Boston USA, Sun Chlorella Corporation Kyoto Japan, University of Edinburgh, Victoria and Albert Museum London, WMG Photography Fund London and in various private collections.

Dreaming Difference is a visual treat of a book. It offers a generous survey of David Williams’ photographic projects from the last few decades and is enriched by written contributions from some of the key writers on Scottish art and photography from recent times. Williams’ own account of his ‘accidental’ journey into photography, his life in music and art and his interest in the ’non-dual’ that permeates his creative output is illuminating. This study is a celebration of the work of a much respected photographer and educator and a timely reminder of Williams’ key contribution to photography in Scotland.

• Preface, Sara StevensonDavid Williams, An Appreciation, Tom NormandINTRODUCTION, David WilliamsEarly Years and Family LifeEducation… and MusicPhotographic Beginnings… and NondualitySome Early ImagesPROJECTSPictures from No Man’s Land: St Margaret’s School for Girls, Edinburgh 1984‘Is’: Ecstasies l-XXll (1988)Findings… Bitter-Sweet (1994)Source (1995)Stillness and Occurrence (1995-2000)one taste: (n)ever-changing (2003-2007); Cedar Tree Tofuku-ji Zen Temple ; 88 Places - Omuro Nina-ji Temples; Various from ‘one taste…’; flow… (2009)Illusion of Agency (2014)Not Two (2014 – ongoing)The Promenader (2014 – ongoing)Together (stills) (2022)Postscript; Untitled (2014)TimelineReferences; Contributors; Acknowledgements