In Search of the Blue Flower

By (author) Alexander Hamilton

Authored and guest-edited by Alexander Hamilton, In Search of the Blue Flower: Alexander Hamilton and The Art of Cyanotype is part of the Scottish Photographic Artists Series, with guest contributions by academics and curators, individuals who have written on Hamilton and his work during a career currently spanning 50 years. In this lavishly illustrated book with 140 coloured images, the author presents his early formative years, recounting the way his engagement with the cyanotype process has informed his art practice, through his time at Edinburgh College of Art, to his program of exhibitions and residencies, and finally his work within field of public arts. The book includes contributions from Richard Ovenden, Julie Lawson, Christian Weikop, Mike Ware, James Berry, Vanessa Sellars, Ewan McArthur, Gemma Rolls Bentley, Jaromir Jedlinski, Piotr Tryjanowski, Christine Gunn, and Sara Stevenson.

Reviews of In Search of the Blue Flower

'Alexander Hamilton creates stunningly beautiful works of art. His photography has, for decades, explored the potential of the cyanotype process. This approach, rooted in the pre-history of photography, uses photosensitive paper and solutions that are exposed to sunlight. The results can be serendipitous but Hamilton’s metier, his extraordinary skill, crafts the most subtle and exquisite images. ‘In Search of the Blue Flower’ foregrounds Hamilton’s wonderful cyanotypes. The imagery is complemented by a self-penned essay that details his remarkable history as an artist, and the intellectual roots of his work. A number of related essays by academics, scholars and curators completes this memorable publication. A rightful tribute to an exceptional artist.' — Dr Tom Normand HRSA, Honorary Research Fellow, School of Art History, University of St Andrews.