British artist Billy Osborn created Castle of Memories between 2019 and 2024. Through photography, he describes his lived experience of agoraphobia. After the anxiety disorder appeared in his early twenties, he spent longer periods indoors. As a result, surrounding urban spaces began to feel impenetrable.
During weeks of isolation, he read Frankenstein and Butcher’s Crossing. At the same time, he imagined escaping the city. In those daydreams, he moved toward quiet mountains and open moors.
Travel as a Way Out
Photography then gave him a clear reason to leave home. In turn, he drove across Britain in a tiny car that felt like a protective bubble. From Cornwall, he headed north toward Ben Nevis. Elsewhere, he travelled from a cabin in Llangoedmor to the footpaths of Brontë country.
To mediate between discomfort and curiosity, Osborn used medium and large format cameras. Because the process slowed him down, it helped him meet the outside world on his own terms. The lens held fear, isolation, and fantasy together. Even so, the work comes from sustained encounters beyond the door.
Sequencing, Light, and Perception
Osborn presents the images without text, which keeps the experience open. Instead, he sequences the black-and-white photographs to suggest connections over time. Consequently, the rhythm mirrors the pace of journeys and chance meetings. Visually, the pictures shift between ambient glow and harsh light. They also move between documentary clarity and dreamlike surreality.
Rather than explain, the series invites viewers to question what they see. In that way, it blurs the boundary between experience and perception. Ultimately, it asks for reflection, not resolution.
Mental Health, Stoicism, Masculinity
Although the work feels personal, it also raises broader questions about mental health. In particular, it touches on stoicism and traditional masculinity. However, Osborn avoids a fixed statement and refuses easy closure. Likewise, he does not define the people or places he photographs.
Instead, Castle of Memories opens a space for dialogue. By sharing one lived experience of anxiety, it can enter wider conversations without trying to control them.
About the author:
“Billy Osborn (b. 1998) is a photographer and teacher from Lincolnshire, England. He holds a BA in Documentary Photography from the University of South Wales (formerly Newport) and an MA in Photography from UWE Bristol. His work has been exhibited at the Arnolfini, Ffotogallery, and Open Eye Gallery.”
