Chris Dooks

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Christopher Dooks (born 1971 in Middlesbrough) is a Scotland-based artist who works mainly in photography, film and audio art.

Education and early work
Dooks studied sound design and film at the Cleveland College of Art and Design (1989–1991) and then film and video art at Edinburgh College of Art (1991–1994). In 1994, ITV Yorkshire aired his degree film The Sound of Taransay. Between 1994 and 1998 he directed several works for broadcast television, including The South Bank Show. In 1998, while working on a PBS program in the United States, he became ill with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, which ended his television career.

Idioholism
After a break, Dooks returned to making audio-visual art. While researching how to work with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, he developed a concept called Idioholism—a blend of holism and idiosyncrasy. This research led to a PhD at the University of the West of Scotland. The core of his work became a vinyl record trilogy.

Audio work
Dooks has released several electronica and folktronica albums for Bip-Hop, Highpoint Lowlife and Benbecula Records. He has collaborated with artists including Francis Cazal, Future Pilot, Hibernate, and Rutger Zuydervelt. He also releases under the name Bovine Life for some works.

Visual art
He has produced work for the Millennium Experience and created installations for Market Gallery Glasgow, Teesside University, a Middlesbrough venue, Gallery Edinburgh, Isis Arts Newcastle, Sandberg Institute Amsterdam, and the Edinburgh College of Art. In 2003, at Stills Gallery Edinburgh, he coined the term Polymash to describe his “chaotic multi-disciplinary practice.” In 2007, he founded Polymash Digital Art Projects, which creates bespoke psychogeography tours, including 2009’s Surreal Steyning. His screenings and talks have taken place at venues such as Another Roadside Attraction Gallery, the National Museum of Scotland, Furtherfield in London, and festivals like the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen.

Personal life
Dooks lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two children.