Christopher Dewdney

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Christopher Dewdney (born May 9, 1951) is a prize-winning Canadian poet and essayist. His poetry reflects his interest in natural history. [1] His book Acquainted with the Night, an investigation into darkness was nominated for both the Charles Taylor Prize and the Governor General's Award. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Dewdney was born and grew up in London, Ontario. He is the son of Canadian artist and author Selwyn Dewdney, brother of Alexander Keewatin Dewdney. He was influenced by London artists Greg Curnoe and Jack Chambers. Dewdney is the long-time partner of writer Barbara Gowdy. [3]

Career

Dewdney moved to Toronto, Ontario in 1980.

In 1988, when he published his book Last Flesh, he was teaching at the McLuhan Institute in Toronto. [4] In 1992 he was writer-in-residence at the University of Western Ontario. In 2002 he published The Natural History, a book-length poem which brings together and interprets several scientific disciplines. [5]

In 2007 he was presented with the Harbourfront Prize at the International Festival of Authors. [6] In 2008 he was writer-in-residence at the University of Toronto.

Soul of World, Unlocking the Secrets of Time was listed at number 4 in The Globe and Mail ′s 100 Books of 2008. Acquainted with the Night was released as a feature documentary in 2010, and in 2011 the film received a Gemini Award. Dewdney appeared in the classic documentary Poetry in Motion .

He is currently a professor at the Glendon campus of York University.

Poetic style and critical evaluation

Dewdney's poetry has been described as post-modern [7] and experimental. [8] He frequently uses poetry to highlight the wonders of science. [9] Author Karl Jirgens praises his ability to "articulate the link...between the empirical and the mystic." [10]

In his 1986 book, The Immaculate Perception, Dewdney describes nature as "divine technology," and language as a "cognitive prosthesis". In this same book he refers to language as an "organically derived software downloaded into a child's mind at an early age". He writes that this process leaves a wound, "language acquisition trauma", in the unconscious. His two subsequent non-fiction books, The Secular Grail and Last Flesh, deal with consciousness, media and a possible future evolution of humans. In more recent years his nonfiction have explored the subjects of night and time.

Bibliography

Poetry

Non-fiction

Awards and honours

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References

  1. "Christopher Dewdney : Biography", Canadian poetry Online, University of Toronto Libraries.
  2. 1 2 "Author Christopher Dewdney looks at time with `Soul of the World'". Toronto Star, By Vit Wagner. March 8, 2008
  3. "Barbara Gowdy won’t back down". The Globe and Mail, April 13, 2017, Mark Medley.
  4. "Book Reviews - Last Flesh: Life in the Transhuman Era". Quill and Quire, 1988.
  5. Zilá Bernd (2006). Canada from the Outside In. Le Canada Vu D'ailleurs: New Trends in Canadian Studies. Nouvelles Tendances en Études Canadiennes. Peter Lang. p. 119. ISBN   978-90-5201-041-0.
  6. "Toronto poet Christopher Dewdney wins Harbourfront prize". CBC Arts. .Sep 28, 2007
  7. Revue D'études Canadiennes. Vol. 20. Trent University. 1985. p. 136.
  8. Den Tandt Christophe, ed. (2005). Reading Without Maps?: Cultural Landmarks in a Post-canonical Age : a Tribute to Gilbert Debusscher. Peter Lang. p. 107. ISBN   978-90-5201-283-4.
  9. Michale Hayward. "Poet Knows It". Vancouver Sun, April 10, 2008.
  10. Karl Jirgens, Christopher Dewdney and His Works (1997), ECW Press.
  11. "Acquainted With the Night, by Christopher Dewdney". Georgia Straight, by Hal Wake on June 17, 2004