Spencer Rowell PhD (b. 1958) is a British artist and psychoanalyst whose work bridges the worlds of photography and psychoanalysis. Based in Ramsgate, Kent, Spencer is known for his Neo-Pictorialist photographic style, blending traditional analogue methods with contemporary conceptual frameworks. His images are the interplay between memory, identity, and the unconscious—a synthesis he describes as Pathography, where art becomes both a medium of expression and a tool for self-discovery.

Drawing inspiration from the historical Pictorialist movement, Spencer’s photographs evoke an emotional, almost painterly quality, emphasising the emotional depth and subjective truths behind every image. He views the photographic surface as a metaphor for the tension between external appearance and the psychological undercurrents beneath.

With his artistic practice based in Kent and psychoanalytic practice in London, this dual expertise shapes his work, revealing a profound connection between art practice and the psyche.

Self-taught with working class routes, evolving through years of professional practice, only later in life—after pursuing formal educations in both fine art and psychoanalysis—that his work transformed into deeply personal and conceptual explorations. His doctoral research titled, An Exploration of Pathography within Phototherapy: An Analysis of the Photographic Self-Portrait (2017), reflects his dual practice, examining the therapeutic potential of photography in understanding the self. His practice celebrates the therapeutic and transformative potential of art as a means of self-representation and connection. Engaging with the psychological narratives behind the image,  a dialogue between surface and depth.

Spencer is also a founding member of Uncertain States, an artist-led collective that showcases lens-based work through a quarterly broadsheet supported by Arts Council England. His work has been exhibited internationally, and in 2022 nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize.

Education and Accolades
• 2022: Nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize

• 2016: PhD, An Exploration of Pathography within Phototherapy, London Metropolitan University

• 2012: Postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, WPF London

• 2010: MA Fine Art (Distinction), London Metropolitan University

• 2008: Certificate in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, WPF London