OIL + WATER: MULTIPLICATION BY ARTICULATION — OLEG DEETZ

Introduction:

In this essay, I approach Alexander James Hamilton’s practice through the structures of oil and ice in the series Oil & Water. His comparison with Constructivism and Brutalism opens an argument about raw materials, the difficulty of preserving temporary constructions and the role of light in communicating what took place. I then turn to the exchanges through which a practice extends into a community of artists and viewers.

´Dark Matter´
from the series Oil + Water´
unique photograph
2014

Art is not simply a matter of beautiful works. It has not been that for a long time. Art is the daily practice of a conscious life. Distil Ennui, the studio of artist Alexander James Hamilton, offers vivid confirmation.

Every act, every action we take, is a response to our surroundings. When we are satisfied, we respond accordingly: we seek to repeat the experience, to live through its pleasures once more. When we are irritated and troubled, we try to put things right or, as a last resort, to escape, which is also a response. A response is a form of communication. We convey our conclusions to the world around us and declare our position through our actions: we support and cultivate, or resist and reject.

´untitled plate V´
from the series ´Oil + Water´
unique photograph, 2016

Such is everyday life. Art is no different. Every artwork, every work, communicates support or resistance through its very existence.

In one of its ultimate forms, art supports and resists simultaneously. Such is the artistic practice of Alexander James Hamilton. Let us look more closely through ´Oil + Water´, one of his principal works of the last seven years.

The combination of oil and water is ruinous to the latter. Contamination by petroleum products renders water unfit for use. People suffer; entire ecosystems suffer. Nor is this solely a question of oil or petrol: all products derived from hydrocarbon raw materials place a heavy burden on the environment.

´Spawn Preparation´
from the series ´Oil + Water´
unique photograph, 2014

To bring these concerns into focus, Alexander James Hamilton uses constructions made from oil and ice. Under certain conditions, they might even be called sculptures. Yet their manner of execution and formal solutions point much more strongly towards Constructivism and Brutalism, particularly through the direct use of primary raw materials: water and oil.

This is a familiar device. Multiplication by articulation. Take a problem and articulate it many times. Create so many invariants of the structure that overlooking them becomes impossible. Carry the pain foreseen and its catastrophic consequences into as many corners of the information space as possible; compel people to think about the problem and act meaningfully in relation to it.

The use of photography arises from the difficulty of preserving the construction formed by the coming together of water and oil. Here a third component reveals itself: light, without which neither the production nor the existence of photography is possible. Light becomes a means of conveying information about the intricate relationships between water, ice and oil, and of communicating knowledge of the inquiry itself and the questions at its heart. Learning is light, and ignorance is darkness. The darkness that awaits us all if we disregard the gravity and complexity of water pollution.

´Ossuary III´
from the series ´Oil + Water´
unique photograph, 2014

In the winter of 2022 this work will be continued.

But this is only one facet of Alexander's activity and that of his studio. Another is the creation of a community of artists and viewers, people of kindred purpose whose collective aim both unites them and allows them to recognise their differences.

This is an important concept. Our strength lies in being different.

A multiplicity of perspectives on the same problem allows us to discover multiple solutions and answers. The possibility of choice is always better than the absence of alternatives. A second benefit of recognising our differences is the chance to learn from one another. In organising the studio's work, Alexander never misses an opportunity to help his friends, to teach them something new, to learn something new himself or, standing a little apart, to watch, not without satisfaction, as artists learn from each other.

Designing a circular future workshop
from the Dark Vat artist residency
2019

The educational aspect of Alexander's activity and that of his studio extends beyond diverse artistic practices, expeditions and residencies. The studio's website and blog also play a significant role. Creating a substantial field of information around one's practice is an integral part of a contemporary artist's work. Publications approaching the work from different sides allow readers to enter more deeply into the ideas and concepts that animate the artist's practice, to understand its formulations more precisely and, more broadly, to participate in debate about the questions and problems it raises.

Communication is very important. It is a fully fledged part of art itself. Every work conveys information, but also an impulse, an energy for your own further actions.

So, what is your next step?