Introspection Master Dicken

It is a quiet morning, and the sun pierces through the glass windows of the apartments in the north of the city. Sheltered in a room filled with memories and works of art—skillfully divided by an immense library—we find Master Dicken Castro, who with a gesture of joy offers us a seat in his home. As we all know, Master has, for many years, been an icon, a pioneer, and an active contributor to the progress of national design.

Graduated as an architect from the National University, Master considers himself privileged to have occupied the university citadel among so few students. He also cheerfully recalls an anecdote once told to him, though he is unsure if it is true: he used to be a troop leader of boy scouts who frequently went out on pilgrimages, and on one occasion someone told him that a little boy scout had gone missing. As was his duty, he went out in search of the child until he found him —“and it was none other than Rogelio Salmona [1]” he adds with a wide smile.

During the time when he began his slow but rewarding transition into graphic design, he embarked on a quest of almost archaeological character, learning as much as he could while seeking an answer that would grant him a language which, though analogous to architecture, diverges from it in terms of permanence and spatiality. Now, his conception of design speaks of a communicative unity that evolves alongside the technological proposals provided by new media and their constant need for renewal.

Master also spoke about the important relationship between the exhibition he will present at the Visual Arts Museum of Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano in March 2009, and his own experiences as a designer and the immense learning they entail within that field. Following the university’s invitation, Master Dicken sat down with Mrs. Ana María Escallón to reflect on what might be interesting and valuable to present, and thus they arrived at the theme of his personal passions.

Observing the relationship these passions hold with the individual as a constructive element of thought allows the viewer to come closer to a definition of the person himself, even if the wisdom derived from such lived experiences is not entirely communicable. To witness the Master’s introspection is to receive a slice of abstract knowledge—undeniably valuable and nourishing.

The story of these passions begins in the Master’s childhood, when his interest in archaeology was awakened by visits to the estate of one of his uncles, who invited him to explore the area. They carried out these explorations in a very rudimentary way, with the excitement of possibly finding tangible traces of its ancient inhabitants. After two or perhaps three years of persistent searching and excavation, they discovered a golden nose ornament. This discovery triggered an outburst of emotion that led to an even greater event: the finding of pre-Columbian seals. Through them, Master Dicken gained access to the expressive forms of Colombia’s ancestral peoples and to graphic communication, which became his new passion.

It was also during his childhood, at his father’s house in Medellín, that a group of important intellectuals would gather—among them the architect Pepe Mexía. This figure would radically influence the Master’s life, for he became Dicken’s great admiration, while allowing him to peruse the architecture and art magazines he always carried. Thus, the future icon of design became immersed in the subject, aided by the magazines Pepe Mexía later sent him, noting the young boy’s growing interest.

At the exhibition, attendees will have access to the pre-Columbian seals and rollers, as well as to various graphic and photographic studies that the Master has carried out over his lifetime on multiple manifestations of popular communication. Among these are his photographic studies of the decoration of intercity buses in Caldas and Antioquia, of the personalization of objects, of merchants’ jargon, and of the graphic strategies they use to highlight and sell their products.

On the recommendation of Mrs. Ana María Escallón, the exhibition will also be presented in digital media and will be open to the public from March 11 at the Visual Arts Museum of the university, located in the white two-level building beside the university library.