Where Do You Go? with Marcus Dobbs
The artist on the magic of maps, the pull of the Thames and the romance of old churches
Every now and again we like to ask people for their personal take on London. We get them to tell us the places in the city that they turn to for different reasons: the spots that excite them, inspire them, make them feel calm, happy or just make them want to spend money. We call it ‘Where do you go?’.
For the first WDYG? of 2023 we spoke to the artist Marcus Dobbs, whose carefully researched and intricately detailed maps combine ancient and new versions of London to stunning effect.
In his Q&A Marcus tells us about his favourite map shop, where to find ‘tank cubes’ in Hampshire, and getting inspiration while working out.
Who are you?
My name is Marcus Dobbs, I’m an artist who loves everything London, especially its history and its architecture.
And why should we trust you?
I graduated at Camberwell, UAL, I was born in Greater London and have spent the majority of my daily life within the city.
This piece titled Tamesis (below) was created as my final project while studying at Camberwell, UAL and explores a fictional Thames estuary haunted by unexplainable towers in the fog.
How would you describe your art style?
I have always had a fascination with London and its diverse history. I was always drawn to the darker elements of London’s past such as the Plague, the Great Fire and the Industrial Revolution. It was these themes that influenced my earlier works when I would create dystopian landscapes of an imaginary old London.
What led you to start creating these extraordinary maps of London?
My initial idea to create the ‘Parte Of’ series, started towards the end of 2019, following a day walking around Greenwich Park, when I was looking at some old paintings in the Maritime museum that showed the changing landscape of Greenwich and the London docklands. It was the idea to compare old and new that inspired me to look at creating my old maps.
Soon after I began working on my first map, I realised how much research and planning I had to put into these works to make them as accurate as possible. It was this research and learning that inspired me to carry on and eventually create an entire series. I have learnt more about London’s history in the last two years creating these maps, than any other time in my life!
We have to ask: How long does it take to create each of these pieces?
My maps take the longest time to create and I will often spend a month researching and planning even before a single line has been drawn. The maps themselves will take anywhere from one month to three months depending on detail.
What was the trickiest of the 'Parte of’ series to create?
The trickiest part for me was working on areas where the history is unknown or lost. While working on my first map ‘Parte of the City’ (above) I wanted to add as many lost buildings as possible, including tiny medieval churches that were lost during the Great Fire and never rebuilt. I often had to take long breaks and dig through my old London books to find any trace or description to go with these buildings.
Another element which can be tricky is scale and perspective. To get a sense of how big the map is, I will often start with some modern elements such as skyscrapers to establish scale earlier on.
On to the usual questions… Where do you go that can never close down, because if it does you might cry?
The Portobello Print and Map Shop on Portobello road. They have an incredible collection of antique maps for sale showing London and various places across the globe. I have purchased a few maps myself and would love to start a real collection one day!
Where do you go to cheer yourself up?
I love a long walk along the Thames, usually starting from Waterloo and walking along the Southbank towards Tower Bridge and the city. On a good day I carry on walking eastwards and usually end up in Canada Water or on other occasions, Greenwich!
Where do you go to be alone?
I find myself getting lost in art galleries or taking a stroll in a leafy park. I will often do this if I need some inspiration. My favourite galleries would be Tate Britain or the National Gallery (above).
If I really need to escape the city I will visit my Mum’s house on the Isle of Wight where they have some incredible beaches and cliff walks.
Where do you go that’s within walking distance of your house?
I currently live in the outskirts of Hampshire, roughly 35 minutes by train from London and whilst I may not be directly in London, I am surrounded by so much rich history. One of my favourite places to visit close by, would be the ruins of the Holy Ghost, a former church caught up in the English Reformation in the 1540s (below).
Thomas Burberry’s (founder of Burberry) remains are buried there and there’s also huge anti-tank cubes which were installed in-case the Nazi’s were successful in invading Britain from the South.
Where do you go if you want to switch off?
To switch off I tend to escape London and my work altogether, with one of my favourite places to switch off being the island of Ibiza!
Where do you go to get inspired?
For inspiration I love getting up and close to some of the oldest buildings in London and in most cases these would be London’s old churches. While I am in no way religious, I love the calmness and history these buildings contain.
Where do you go to think?
The gym. Funnily enough, most of my ideas come to me whilst working out!
You can buy prints of Marcus’ work through his online store
And you can see more of his stuff on Instagram.