About
Welcome to the Distil Ennui Studio store. I'm Alexander James Hamilton, the artist behind the works you see here. Since founding the studio in 1990, I have dedicated myself to creating art that engages deeply with cultural and environmental issues. This store features a selection of original works spanning four decades of studio and location-based practice, along with unique objects I personally live with and cherish.
Every piece is thoughtfully crafted by hand in the studio, using only natural or recycled materials, and always with a commitment to environmental circularity. For me, art serves a purpose beyond aesthetics—it's a call to action, making societal and ecological concerns relevant while inspiring tangible change.
documentary film on the 'Dark Vat' artist residency
The studio’s global impact is marked by spaces like ‘Red October’ near the Kremlin in Moscow, ‘Dark Vat’ in an abandoned photographic paper factory deep in Siberia, and ‘Makers Place’ in the Baa Atoll, Maldives—the region's first plastic and aluminium recycling facility. Projects like ‘Renaciendo’ reopening of the last Carmelita Convent still standing in Spain closed for over 170 years or the creation of carbon-neutral recycling systems highlighting an ongoing commitment to meaningful cultural and environmental change.
installation view of the exhibition 'Renaciendo'
The Distil Ennui Studio™ is also home to a fully supported artist residency program. Since its inception, over 450 artists from around the world have benefited from this initiative, which emphasizes circular design, material repurposing, and renaissance craftsmanship techniques. The residency features public design workshops, artist talks, and museum-standard exhibitions, while fostering direct community engagement through projects like building restorations and cultural preservation.
Makers Place recycling studio in the Maldives
Explore these transformative projects and more at my artist website www.DistilEnnui.com and delve into the well-documented journal at www.DistilEnnui.com/Journal. Thank you for supporting art that inspires and transforms.
BIOGRAPHY
________________________
Alexander James Hamilton
Born 1967, London
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (selected)
08-2021 – 'Drink Less' sculpture exhibition made from island cleanup interventions.
07-2020 – 'Renaciendo', derelict Baroque Carmelite convent dating from 1688.
05-2019 – 'Breaking the plastic habit' public installation climate week; Canary Wharf, London.
05-2018 – 'Visions from the shoreline' Dellasposa Gallery, London.
08-2017 – 'Death of the dream' Dellasposa Gallery, 93 Piccadilly, London.
05-2017 – 'All icons are false' D-Contemporary Gallery, London.
05-2016 – 'The illusion of oil' Ekaterinburg, Russia.
01-2015 – 'Oil + Water' IX sculptural works installed in the forests of Siberia.
10-2014 – 'Vanitas' Cafe Royal, London.
04-2014 – 'Rastvorennaya Pechal' Triumph Gallery, Moscow.
04-2013 – 'Intersection' London.
05-2012 – 'A beautiful announcement of death' PA&G Gallery, London.
05-2010 – ‘Taxi’ Ann330 Gallery, Los Angeles.
04-2010 – ‘Tokyo Green’ Conningsby Gallery, London.
09-2009 – ‘Space & Time’ London.
01-2008 – ‘Working Water’ RCP Gallery, Sydney.
09-2006 – ‘Flight' The Boiler House, Shanghai.
11-2004 – ‘Shift’ 109 Building, Shibuya, Tokyo.
08-2003 – ‘No Logo’ Maison Bastille, Paris.
08-2002 – ‘The Colour Candy’ G & A Gallery, Sydney.
09-2000 – 'Flesh & Foliage' Loft 56, New York.
07-1999 – 'Liquid Mechanics' 18 installations mapping endangered streams.
01-1996 – 'Defluxio' deviation plinths installed in Los Angeles floodwater causeway, USA.
12-1995 – 'Dreams walking past' guerrilla exhibition installation Fifth Avenue, New York.
02-1990 – ‘Flight’ London.
09-1987 – 'Parking For Free' guerrilla exhibition, Canal Street, New York car park across 3 levels.
02-1986 – 'Intervened' 20 installation works mapping Caribbean endangered reef hotspots.
07-1985 – 'Under the surface' tourisms effect offshore. National Pantheon, Dominican Republic.
GROUP SHOWS (selected)
01-2021 – 'Objects & Structures' Dark Vat collaboration, Russian Academy Of Science.
05-2019 – 'Dark Vat' re-purposing a disused photographic paper factory in, Siberia.
09-2018 – 'Site Unseen' Dellasposa Gallery, London.
09-2017 – 'Contemporary Still Life' City of London Guildhall, London.
05-2017 – 'Ars Moriendi' Dellasposa Gallery, London.
02-2017 – Museum of Contemporary Art 'Vanitas'. Four Domes Pavilion, Warsaw.
05-2016 - 'Still Life' Bohuslans Museum, Sweden.
04-2016 - 'Reinvigorating the still life' Konsthallen Bohuslän Museum, Sweden.
06-2015 – 'Natre Morte' Hå Gamle Prestegard Museum exhibition, Stavanger, Norway.
12-2011 – ‘Iconoclasts’ Lloyds Club, London.
10-2011 – 'The House Of The Nobleman', London.
06-2011 – ‘Still Even’ Pertwee Anderson & Gold Gallery, London.
10-2010 – ‘You Are Here’ Flaere Gallery, London.
PROJECTS (selected)
04-2024 – 'Designing A Circular Future' 3 day design workshop University of Valencia.
01-2024 - The Underwater Image Library for Licensing, a catalogue of 4 decades image making.
10-2022 – 'Waste to Wealth' one week plastic & aluminium studio based recycling workshop.
02-2022 – NFC art authentication offering uncompromising studio provenance verification.
12-2021 - Siberian winter studio relocation to complete unfinished works from 'Oil + Water'.
05-2021 - Design & install a plastic & aluminium recycling facility, Maldives.
07-2020 - Lighting installation & re-opening of a Baroque Carmelite convent.
05-2019 - Keynote speaker and studio host to the Plastic Free Design Workshop, Siberia.
04-2019 – 'Dark Vat' artist residency 15 artists in a disused photographic paper factory.
01-2019 - Invited as a keynote speaker at Plastic Free Maldives Legacy Workshop.
10-2018 – 20 works donated to fund a community PET & HDPE plastic recycling facility.
02-2018 – Artist residency offered to glassmaker Zachery Cincotta (USA).
10-2017 – Studio relocates Baa Atol, Maldives to create a new works.
10-2016 – Launch of secure legacy authentication through US-Copyright Office & NFC Tags.
01-2016 – Three poetry recital films released from the 2015 artist residency.
07-2015 – Artist residency offered to eight UK based artists.
01-2015 – Studio relocates to the forests of Siberia to create a new body of work 'Oil + Water'.
12-2014 – Artist talk 'Deconstructing Flow Practice' Cafe Royal, London.
09-2014 – Artist residency offered to Russian painter Alex Kuznetsov.
11-2013 – Studio relocates to 'Red October' chocolate factory, Moscow.
03-2012 – 'Tokyo Taxi' a collection of photography & texts (2002 - 2012) published by Merrell.
05-1995 – Fabricated & distributed salt water solar stills to remote island nation inhabitants.
07-1986 – 9 month kayak expedition, Maldives, distributing aluminium can crushers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (selected)
08-2023 - 'From water to the universe' cymatics & gravitational waves by Paul Carey-Kent.
04-2023 - Conversation with Bob Chaundry founder of Considering Art, recorded in April 2023.
10-2021 - Islanders Magazine regarding science, design & sustainability.
10-2021 - Paradise Magazine 'Makers Place turns rubbish into carbon neutral art in the Maldives'.
08-2021 - In conversation with author Emma Coccioli discussing 'Fusion'.
08-2021 - Paul Carey-Kent writes 'Art into action into art' for FAD.
07-2021 - Distil Ennui Studio launch's 'Makers Place' turning waste into art.
07-2021 - Sustainable Lifestyle Magazine investigate 'Makers Place' recycling studio.
09-2020 - Journalist Jesus de Andres of Neuva Alcarria visits 'Renciendo'.
08-2020 - text by Javier Poyatos Sebastian, professor at the University of Valencia.
05-2019 - Art Critic Oksana Budulak talks about 'Dark Vat'.
04-2019 - Sobaka Magazine visit to meet the artists during the Siberian residency.
04-2019 - Sayan Arts Documentary Film I + Film II both exploring the Dark Vat artist residency.
03-2019 - Documentary film maker Elizaveta Stefankina with her interpretation of 'Dark Vat'
03-2019 - Cultura24 film explore the Dark Vat Studio, Siberia.
11-2018 - In discussion with VoyageLA, California.
02-2018 - Vernon Press, USA publish 'Animae' interviews collated by Emma Coccioli.
08-2017 - Luxury London 'Deep Water' discover the surface tension of water as my playground.
08-2017 - ArtNet How to continue to challenge our understanding of the photographic medium.
08-2017 - The history behind artists working with flag motifs.
05-2017 - interview with ArtNet. How can water be used as a medium?.
02-2017 - artist text 'Studio as laboratory' published in issue 13 AfterNyne Magazine.
12-2016 - Atlas Obscura 'Tokyo Taxi' article by Lauren Young.
07-2016 - article 'The butterfly effect' Christie's International Magazine.
06-2016 – article 'Dancing with butterflies' by Tricia Divets of Private Air Magazine.
05-2016 - 'The great leveller' joins the Donna Spaan art collection
01-2016 – 'Pure Process' a discussion with Philistine Magazine's edition Crista Leonard.
12-2015 – Russia Today TV 'Immersed In Moscow' TV documentary
12-2015 – 'Portrait of an artist' article by Eloise Stevens.
09-2015 – Academic paper 'Chaos In Residence' by Eloise Stephens exploring the artist residency.
08-2015 – interview FOUR Magazine's Arts Editor, Eva Luis Schwatz.
06-2015 – 'OIL + WATER' shortlisted for ‘Environmental photographer of the year 2015’ award.
02-2015 - Interview with Jeff Campagna, Smithsonian Magazine.
01-2015 - Four Magazine 'Malerisch Fotografiert' interview with Arts Editor, Eva-Luise Scharwz.
11-2014 – Interview with Laissez Faire Arts Editor Britt Pflüger 'Ophelia & The Chocolate Factory'.
09-2014 – 'Deutche Welle' EuroMax TV's studio visit to explore the underwater process.
08-2014 - interview with Anna Mcnay, Arts Critic for Studio International discussing Russia.
07-2014 – Billionaire Magazine interview with discussions of Russia.
06-2014 – 'An Englishman in Moscow' arts correspondent, Bric Magazine.
04-2014 – Wall Street International explore 'Rastvoyrennaya Pechal'
04-2014 – ArtDaily an underground studio in Moscow to create works from within Russia.
04-2014 – Studio visit & interview with Arts Editor Dana Gorshkova of BURO 247.
03-2014 – critical text by professor Andrei Tolstoy for the exhibition 'Rastvorennaya Pechal'.
03-2014 - RPS, 'the first British artist in 30 years to prepare like this within Russia'.
02-2014 – Interview on Voice Of Russia Radio, London.
01-2014 – interview discussing my relocation to The Red October Studio, Russia.
11-2013 – interview with Blouin Arts, Moscow Arts Editor, Nastassia Astrasheuskaya.
10-2013 – Thames & Hudson publish 'Natre Morte' with texts by Dr Michael Petry.
08-2013 – interview with Moscow Times, Arts & Culture Editor Garrison Golubock 'Art & Russia'.
05-2013 - The Positive Arts whats 'Behind the art'.
05-2013 - interview with Charlotte Simmonds of New Statesman 'Painting with light'.
04-2013 – Aestetica Magazine explore the exhibition 'Intersection'
03-2013 – Article by Bob Chaundry, Arts Editor of the Huffington Post.
01-2013 – 'Dead Or Alive' Gavin Lucas, Editor of Creative Review deconstructs 'Glass'.
12-2012 – Sunday Telegraph Newspaper, 'Panorama In The Arts' Section explores 'Glass'.
03-2012 – 'Tokyo Taxi' a collection of photography & texts (1988 - 2012) published by Merrell.
09-2010 – AOP Association Of Photographers IMAGE Magazine; cover article exploring 'Fusion'.
06-2010 – academic text by John Routledge 'Fusion'.
03-2010 - LA TIMES magazine publish 'Tokyo Taxi'.
08-2009 - Creative Review publish a monograph book on 'Tokyo Taxi'.
02-2009 - DIF Magazine publish 'Tokyo Taxi'.
MEDIA LINKS (selected)
10-2023 - 'From water to the universe' cymatics & gravitational waves by Paul Carey-Kent.
08-2021 - Illustrated paper in conversation with author Emma Coccioli exploring 'Fusion'.
04-2019 - Sayan Arts Documentary Film I + Film II both exploring the Dark Vat artist residency.
03-2019 - Cultura24 meets the artists of the Dark Vat Artist Residency.
02-2017 - 'Studio as laboratory' published in issue 13 AfterNyne Magazine.
01-2016 – Artist residency film 'Shifting Parameters' released.
01-2016 – Artist residency film 'Water Light' released.
12-2015 – RTV Television Documentary 'Immersed in Moscow'.
05-2014 - BURO24 Arts Critic visits the studio of Rastvorennaya Pechal.
04-2014 – M24 Television interview ‘Rastvorennaya Pechal’ exhibition, Moscow.
02-2014 – Interview on Voice Of Russia Radio, London.
02-2014 – PRIVET Television interview from inside the ‘Red October’ studio. Moscow.
11-2014 – Interview with Laissez Faire Arts Editor Britt Pflüger 'Ophelia & The Chocolate Factory'.
12-2012 – 'Intersection' Film I, studio, London.
CATALOGUES (selected)
- ‘Transparency of a dream illuminated' 2024 catalogue
- 'Vanitas' 2024 catalogue
- 'Rastvyrennaya Pechal' 10 year anniversary catalogue
- ‘Cymatic Water & Light’ catalogue
- 'Dark Vat' limited edition book
- PhotoGrams donated to fund a community-led plastic recycling facility for remote island nations
- 'Death of the dream' exhibition catalogue
- 'All icons are false' exhibition catalogue
- 'OIL + WATER' catalogue of available works
- 'Rastvorennaya Pechal' exhibition catalogue (English & Russian text)
- 'Intersection' exhibition catalogue
- 'A beautiful announcement of death' exhibition catalogue
- 'Swarm' catalogue