LITERATURE 

 

LITERATURE

Selected press, critical essays and quoted texts.

 

SELECTED AUCTION RESULTS  (pdf)
Alexander James Hamilton b.1967
primary and secondary market sales

 

2025  ´Goya reborn in water´ hosted in the 1,000 year old Castillo de Piedra Bermeja.

2023   'From water to the universe' cymatics & gravitational waves by curator Paul Carey-Kent.

2023   Interview with curator Bob Chaundry at Considering Art.

2021   Islanders Magazine ´science, design & sustainability´. 

2021   Paradise Magazine 'Makers Place turning rubbish art in the Maldives´.

2021   In conversation with author Emma Coccioli discussing 'Fusion'.

2021   Curator Paul Carey-Kent writes 'Art into action into art' for FAD.

2021   'Makers Place' a carbon neutral recycling studio.

2021   Sustainable Lifestyle Magazine investigate 'Makers Place' recycling studio.

2021   ´Art as investment´ Museums Magazine.

2020   Journalist Jesus de Andres of ´Neuva Alcarria visits 'Renciendo'.

2020   Text by Javier Poyatos Sebastian, professor at the University of Valencia.

2019   Art Critic & Curator Oksana Budulak explores the 'Dark Vat' artist residency.

2019   Sobaka Magazine visit the ´Dark Vat´ artist residency.

2019   Sayan TV Documentary inside the Dark Vat artist residency.

2019   Documentary film  shot from inside 'Dark Vat'.

2019   Kultura24 TV ´Dark Vat´ artist residency housed in a disused photographic paper factory.

2018   Vernon Press, USA publish 'Animae' interviews collated by Emma Coccioli.

2017   Luxury London 'Deep Water' .

2017   ArtNet interview ´challenging our understanding of the photographic medium´.

2017   The history behind artists working with flag motifs.

2017   Interview with ArtNet  ´How can water be used as a medium´.

2017   Artist text 'Studio as laboratory' published in issue 13 AfterNyne Magazine.

2016   Atlas Obscura 'Tokyo Taxi' article by Lauren Young.

2016   Article 'The butterfly effect' Christie's Magazine.

2016   Article 'Dancing with butterflies' by Tricia Divets of Private Air Magazine.

2016   'The great leveller' joins the Donna Spaan Museum Collection.

2016   'Pure Process' a discussion with Philistine Magazine's edition Crista Leonard.

2015   Russia Today 'Immersed In Moscow' television documentary.

2015   'Portrait of an artist'  by Eloise Stevens.

2015   Academic paper 'Chaos In Residence' by Eloise Stephens exploring the artist residency.

2015   interview with FOUR Magazine's Arts Editor, Eva Luis Schwatz.

2015   'OIL + WATER' shortlisted for ‘Environmental photographer of the year 2015’ award.

2015   Interview with Jeff Campagna at Smithsonian Magazine.

2015   Four Magazine 'Malerisch Fotografiert' .

2014   Interview with Laissez Faire Arts Editor 'Ophelia & The Chocolate Factory'.

2014   'Deutche Welle' EuroMax TV  exploring the underwater process.

2014   Interview with Anna Mcnay, Arts Critic for Studio International discussing Russia.

2014   Billionaire Magazine interview with discussions of Russia.

2014   'An Englishman in Moscow' Bric Magazine.

2014   Wall Street International explore 'Rastvoyrennaya Pechal'

2014   ArtDaily an underground studio in Moscow to create works from within Russia.

2014   Studio visit & interview with Arts Editor Dana Gorshkova of BURO 247.

2014   Critical text by professor Andrei Tolstoy for the exhibition 'Rastvorennaya Pechal'.

2014   Royal Photographic Society 'the first artist in 30 years to create art like this in Russia'.

2014   Live interview on Voice Of Russia Radio, London.

2014   interview ´Relocating to the Red October Studio in Russia´.

2013   Interview with Blouin Arts, Moscow Arts Editor, Nastassia Astrasheuskaya.

2013   Thames & Hudson publish 'Natre Morte' with texts by Dr Michael Petry.

2013   Hedge Magazine 'Glass'.

2013   Interview with Moscow Times, Arts & Culture Editor 'Art & Russia'.

2013   The Positive asks ´Whats Behind The Art'.

2013   Interview with Charlotte Simmonds of New Statesman 'Painting with light'.

2013   Aestetica Magazine explore the exhibition 'Intersection'

2013   Article by Bob Chaundry, Arts Editor of the Huffington Post.

2013   'Dead Or Alive' Gavin Lucas, Editor of Creative Review deconstructs 'Glass'.

2012   Sunday Telegraph Newspaper, 'Panorama In The Arts' exploring 'Glass'.

2012   'Tokyo Taxi' book (1988 - 2012) published by Merrell.

2010   Association Of Photographers IMAGE Magazine; cover article exploring 'Fusion'.

2010   LA TIMES magazine publish 'Tokyo Taxi'.

2009   Creative Review publish a monograph book 'Tokyo Taxi'.

2009   DIF Magazine publish 'Tokyo Taxi'.

 

 

 

QUOTES

' The quality and purity of the process are at the core of his work, attempting to engage his art with the most personal of realisations - brutal yet divine. '

Gallery text by Emma Forster.

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' For two months, the mountain village of Budia in deepest Alcarria, Spain has hosted one of the most original, spectacular and high-quality exhibitions that are  ever to be remembered. Not only for the artists restoration of the Baroque Convento de los Carmelitas but the incredible lighting installation hand built from old aluminium cans and bequest by the artist to the project. '

Journalist Jesus de Andres, Neuva Alcarria. ’Renaciendo', September 2020.

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' At the 'Dark Vat' artist residency exhibition, there were many micro histories to the extent that one artists process took root in the style of another. In this sense, Alexander James Hamilton is a sort of Stolz in comparison with the Krasnoyarsk Oblomov: his eyes are burning, activity is boiling like thunder; sociable with a good sense of humour and world wise. This residency offers artists a methodology of how not to fear their ambitions. 

The uniqueness of this project is that the initiative came purely from the artist himself, this is very rare,' explains Oksana. - 'It seems to me that he is a mason who has a mission before humanity - to help everyone; and yet for him this is clearly the most difficult artist residency so far. '

Curator & Critic, Oksana Budulak, Museum Mira, Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. Dark Vat, May 2019.

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' Nature is danger and beauty intertwined in a never ending dance ' 

Discussion with Gallerist, Jessica McBride. 'Death of the Dream', August 2017.

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‘ James moves beyond the falsity of icons to propose the need for a spiritual renaissance with nature. ’ 

'All icons are false' by Paul Carey-Kent. January 2017.

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' Rather than capturing the moment spontaneously, James creates intricate sculptural compositions submerged in huge tanks of purified water as the object for his camera. The effect of light passing through, heightened against a darkened background, gives the resulting images a painterly appearance, recalling Dutch vanitas still lifes. This blurring of boundaries between photography, painting and sculpture renders James’s works uncategorisable and eerily beautiful. '  

Article by Anna McNay, Arts Correspondent, Studio International Magazine. May 2014.

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Despite following the canon of traditional art Hamilton creates a unique, modern aesthetic, reinterpreting objects from the surrounding world and affirming the triumph of life over the transient.

Text 'Portrait of an artist' by Eloise Stevens, Resident Artist. December 2015.

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'Today as in the past we fight battles over access to oil, soon those same wars will erupt over access to clean water. This, the great fate of humanity consumes my thoughts daily. Continuing to explore it's environmental signature is a conversation that I have made a lifelong commitment to; that of unencumbered fresh water to all living species, and, clean oceans enabling their vital ecosystems to thrive; right now across vast areas around the globe they are barely surviving.'

Discussion with Emma Coccioli, author 'Animae' published by Vernon Press, February 2018.

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‘ James’ fanatical insistence on being involved with every aspect of his creations is awe inspiring, and is perhaps only matched by his disdain for the easy route.’  

Article by Dominic Perry, Culture Correspondent, Philistine Magazine. January 2016. 

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'Artist Alexander James Hamilton creates meticulously crafted sculptural scenes; using studio made props, breeding butterflies, growing period specific flowers, hand making the dress and 24 carat gold halo for his Ophelia in 'Witness', 2012 from 'A beautiful announcement of death'; endeavours that imbue a harmonious dialogue with his subject that is ultimately to be encased within a vast underwater landscape. He does this solely for one purpose, that of documenting the realisation on a single 8 * 10 inch analogue camera plate. 

These photographic plates are the only existing record of a far bigger conceptual process that is produced through his complete dedication to a renaissance studio practice. Perhaps in an effort to exercise a form of control; to relive its tragic baroque beauty. To preserve its memory, from ever being able to fade away.

The introduction of water serves its purpose both symbolically and as the functional device through which to achieve the painterly execution of these works; with the interaction of brushes and the artists bare hands on the surface tension of the water, literally painting the subject in light; the results of which are aching with the dramatic radiance of Caravaggio.

Working with analogue camera equipment and without post production, his life long dedication to in-camera purity establishes it's provenance when linked to painstaking preparatory work. '

Text by Andrei Tolstoy, 1956-2016. Professor of Arts, Russian Academy of Arts, May 2014.

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'James’ blurring of boundaries between photography, painting and sculpture lends his works a unique and contemporary aesthetic.'

article published in Royal Photographic Society Journal, March 2014.

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'By keeping cut roses in a state of suspended animation, their colours drained but their life preserved, Alexander James has created images of surreal beauty.’ 

Gavin Lucas, Editor, Creative Review, January 2013.

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The works of artist Alexander James Hamilton are beyond the time and trends of todays modern art world. They are deeply personal, sensitive and yet interwoven with layers of strength whilst being so tragically beautiful, causing an immediate catharsis effect which we discovered in his studio with our own eyes.

BURO 247 Arts Critic Daria Gorshkova, April 2014.

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‘ The photograph is the only existing record of a far bigger conceptual process that is produced through his complete dedication to a renaissance studio practice. ’ 

Text by Andrei Tolstoy 1956-2016, Russian Academic, Professor Of Arts & President AICA Russia. May 2014.

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‘ This method of exploring the subtle distortions that water makes on light is painstakingly exact and the results are simply quite extraordinary. ’ 

Bob Chaundry The Huffington Post. August 2013.

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‘ Capturing the haunting and ephemeral moment in an intense state of depth and chiaroscuro. ’ 

Nina Azzarello on DesignBoom 14th May 2014. 

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' Rather than pursuing vapid feats with contemporary vigour, James has invested in a painstaking methodology. '

academic text by Lizzy Worby. September 2013.

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‘ Aching with the dramatic radiance of Caravaggio, James’ figures arise from a well of negative potential, as if from the depths of the fugitive self. ’ 

Article by Lizzy Hajos. critical writer & academic. September 2011. 

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' The result is an acceptance of the contingent in sequence of semi-controlled accidents, much as occurs in process based abstract painting like Richter’s, and with the characteristic attraction of being able to trace or at least speculate on what events have caused the particular outcome. '

Text 'All icons are false' by Paul Carey-Kent. January 2017.

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‘ Walking in to any show by English artist Alexander James is like being in a multi story car park lit by Dan Flavin. ’ 

Anna McNay, Arts Correspondent, Studio International Magazine. May 2014.

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' The scene is there, created underwater; now I want to see the places it will go, new and unrepeatable. It appeals to me to be able to handle the work like this; not knowing what is coming. '

letter correspondence between Andrei Tolstoy & Alexander James Hamilton dated 9th June 2014. Andrei Tolstoy 1956-2016. Russian Academic, Professor of Arts & President AICA Russia.

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' I aim to Interrogate the theoretical & physical limitations of sculpture, painting and photography; the more obscured they are the more you will want to explore. '

Live TV interview with Martin Andrews. February 2014.

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'The Pre-Raphaelites, in particular, John Milles, have influenced me the most, also Paul Delaroche. Since I arrived in Russia - Vrubel and Flavitsky. It's amazing how many large works there are to see here. I often visit one piece in particular that hangs in the Tretyakov Gallery. Do you know the painting "Princess Tarakanova"? I return every week to see her. She is gorgeous, seductive, the scene is deeply tragic and very Russian... The mood of this picture completely coincides with my mood in Russia. I am living quite rough and to the bone here in the Moscow studio. I have been working intensely for months now with no breaks and little sleep, facing immense hurdles from every conceinvable direction, suffering as all great works deserve.'

Interview with arts critic Daria Gorshkova of BURO 247, Red October Studio, April 2014.

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‘ With the recent acquisition of ‘The great leveller’ into the Donna Span Collection ‘Light: An Eternal Presence’; with the piece I am reminded of other artists: words found in the great Russian texts, the sonnets of John Donne, and sounds from the music of John Tavener.  'The Great Leveller' sits in fine company.  It is a Vanitas in contemporary dress captured through the lens of a camera. ’

Notes to artist from Donna Span, Founder. The Donna Spaan Contemporary Collection of Art, Calvin College, USA. May 2016. 

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‘ The consistency of his artistic vision is one of the most remarkable things about Alexander James. Having discovered his voice in the late eighties, he has devoted himself to articulating it with the lifelong self-discipline of a medieval monk. In our publicity chasing era, such conviction commands respect. He is an oak tree in the landscape of contemporary art, not some lesser rooted being that bows to wherever the wind of public opinion takes it. ’ 

noted in a letter from Andrei Tolstoy dated 14th July 2014.

Andrei Tolstoy  1956-2016. Russian Academic, Professor Of Arts & President AICA Russia. 

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' The most impressive technical feat is how clear and light the figures appear to be against blackness, generating a saintly aura. That dramatic and moral use of light is characteristic of Caravaggio.'

Critical text for 'All icons are false' by Paul Carey-Kent. January 2017.

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' Technique is really a side issue, though complex you have to ask yourself why I would only want to make work in this way. By using photography as a purely documentary medium to capture these interventions, the photograph itself becomes a way to fix and extend the work; in itself a measure of time. I do this to preserve its memory before it can fade away; in as pure a form as I can. 

This may seem strange, but to me the only strange thing about my practice is that I only want to produce these kind of works, and only this way. It can be done in other ways, but it would not be the same; not at all: through darkroom or digital manipulation of some kind, but this does not appeal to me. I have no desire to manipulate anything other than these liquid mechanics; if I used these other methods, tricks would occur to me and I would be able to repeat them endlessly, to me that would be horrific and the pieces no good. 

The scene is there, now I want to see the places it will go, new and unrepeatable. It appeals to me to be able to handle the work like this; not knowing what is coming.

In relation to editions, the current reproducible capacity of photography is both its force and its failing, I am provoked by the notion that a painting is intrinsically more valuable than a photograph primarily because of its singular uniqueness. To counter this perception; since late 2013, I now only produce unique prints from each work with no editions in an attempt to challenge the ideas concerning the spiritual and economic valuation of artworks and to create an exciting tension between their individual present and relinquished, reproducible past.'

Transcript from Russian Television Interview, March 2014.

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‘ I only buy things as a dealer when I have a belief in the quality of the work.

I may not like it, but it has to be the absolute best. ’

Quote by collector Ivor Braka, fine art dealer on acquiring 'Multiply' from 'Vanitas'
The Fine Art Fund. May 2013.

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‘ A poignant celebration of life and elevation of the banal that achieves a balance between voyeurism and intimacy. ’

Article by Davina Catt, Arts Editor, Interview Magazine. 25th April 2014.

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‘ The meticulous nature of James' work marks him out as an artist at the forefront of contemporary photography, combining multimedia elements as part of his unique style. ’

Article by Jess Rayner, Arts Correspondent, The Global Panorama. May 23rd 2014.

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‘ Captures animals and plants submerged in water at an ambiguous point between life and death with painterly compositions that are the product of a renaissance art practice and scientific investigation into the unknown. ’  

Article by Lizzy Hajos, critical writer & academic. September 2011.

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‘ English artist Alexander James Hamilton captures the Dutch tradition, while being strikingly original and contemporary. ’ 

Michael Petry, 'Nature Morte' published by Thames & Hudson. December 2012.   

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‘ Exciting floral arrangements are juxtaposed against violent chemical reactions, common flora is transposed into an ambiguous setting creating highly complex and timeless imagery. ’

Article by John Routledge, Arts Academic.  'Fusion'. July 2009.

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‘ A minimalist Gregory Crewdson. ’  

Article by Cary Georges, LA Times. February 2007.

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‘ Like Man Ray meeting Jet Li. ’  

NY Times. October 1992.