It is futile to ask Boris Hamilton where he is from. Brought up in seven countries by a Dutch mother and Scottish father while attending French schools, it comes as no surprise that he has always felt like a citizen of nowhere and everywhere at the same time.
After studying a joint BA in French and German in the UK, Boris pursued a diverse range of jobs in Belgium, Thailand and Sri Lanka. After returning to Europe he decided to complete an MA in Documentary Photography at the University of South Wales in 2018. His priority since then has been to grant himself as much freedom as possible to work on his photography projects at his own pace.
The primary focus of Hamilton’s photography lies in making documentary landscape images. The approach to his work varies: some series are heavily research-based, while others are formed by exploring spaces, new or familiar, and allowing a more instinctive and emotional drive to shape the body of work. Regarding technique, he resists adhering to a specific style and enjoys learning new ways of making images to provide more flexibility to better align the aesthetic nature of the images with the subject covered.
His work looks at the psychological and emotional links between people and the land, often with ties to memory - both collective and personal - and frequently draws in feelings of nostalgia, loneliness, loss and grief. The aim hereby is to encourage a sense of empathy and patience in the viewer with the hope of informing - or reminding - them that feelings of pain and fear can also unite us, rather than divide us.
Boris shoots analog (120 and 135) and digital.
He is based in Brussels (Belgium) and is available for editorial as well as commercial work locally and abroad. He is fluent in English and French, with decent knowledge of German, and can get by in Dutch.
Books:
2024 Boris Hamilton at The Linn, Self-Published, 100 copies
Solo Exhibitions:
2024 Boris Hamilton at The Linn, Cove Burgh Hall, Cove, UK
Group Exhibitions:
2024 Hot Waves by Brussels Analog Gang, La Belladonne, Brussels
2024 Photo Brussels Festival: Street Photography by Brussels Analog Gang, Mori Film Lab, Brussels
2018 Hiraeth, Old Truman Brewery, London
2018 A Tension Span, Ffotogallery, Cardiff
2018 Made in Bruxsel, Muntpunt Library, Brussels
2018 Made in Bruxsel, Bozar, Brussels
2017 BXL Icons, Halles St Géry, Brussels
2016 Brussels Street Photography Festival, Galerie Ravenstein, Brussels
Residencies:
2023 The Linn Botanic Gardens, UK
Awards:
2018 Finalist of Made in Bruxsel by Brussels Street Photography Festival
2016 Finalist of the Brussels Street Photography Festival, category Brussels Series
2016 Winner of the Reginald Salisbury Travel Award, Wales
Education:
2016-2018: MA with Distinction in Documentary Photography at University of South Wales, UK
2015 Workshop in Barcelona with Gueorgui Pinkhassov
2014 Workshop in Kolkata and Varanasi with Maciej Dackowicz
2013 Workshop in Mumbai with Maciej Dackowicz
2011 CELTA Teaching Qualification, London House, Bangkok, Thailand
2005 Joint BA in French and German at the University of Sussex, UK
Talks
2024: Guest speaker at Monique Belier’s Inner Movement exhibition opening at Atelier K84 in Amsterdam.
Commissioned work done for: British Council, Polish Institute Brussels, Gordon’s, L’Oréal, Open Skies, H&M, Toyota, Charli Boulangerie and Cap 48.