Dec 23 - Feb 17 | Sensorium

Alexander Hamilton | Sensorium: Pictures from Nature’s Laboratory

In 2002, on a visit to the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh (RBGE), artist Alexander Hamiton noticed individuals making recordings of plants by examining the leaves, buds and flowers. His initial interest in this lay dormant until 2007 when he began an exhibition project supported by staff at the RBGE. This provoked him to begin enquiring into what exactly was being done at the Botanics, and why? After viewing his work, the RBGE’s Director of Science invited Hamiton to meet members of the Phenology team. During a discussion about the importance of examining plants in relation to year to year changes, it became clear that finding visual methods with the capacity to respond to the developments occurring in the natural environment was important, particularly with regard to public engagement. Already passionately concerned about climate change and the impact it was having on plants, habitats and landscape, Hamilton found this notion stimulating.

Experienced in art and ecology,Hamilton had previously used plants as indicators of atmospheric change and photogram techniques as an effective method of displaying the externally visible features of plants.

Yet, if rising temperatures are causing plants to respond earlier, the internal workings are likely to be significant. Hence the primary concern of the RBGE’s staff was to reveal the hidden aspects of plant change.

A period of investigation and experimentation during my Leverhulme Fellowship at Brantwood Coniston 2008-2009, led me to the visual testing procedures called "picture-forming methods". Research conducted in the 1950s and 60s revealed that there is a unique picture for each plant and the critical factor in determining the colour and form of each one is time. In the hands of an artist, this concept, together with existing knowledge of plant changes, has the potential to bring a new, exciting approach to visual art and environmental enquiries.

http://www.alexanderhamilton.co.uk/
http://www.rbge.org.uk/