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. The final section of the book presents a comprehensive selection of his cyanotypes from his earliest creations in 1971 through to the present day. Scottish Photographic Artists will focus upon eminent photographers who have gained an international reputation through exhibitions, awards, and publications. These artist photographers will be afforded a monographic study that will explore their work in depth, while showcasing the variety and inventiveness of their art. The books in this series have a sympathetic format and design. Sara Stevenson, the past curator of photography at the National Galleries of Scotland, will introduce each photographer. Further writings will include a reflective essay, by the artist, on the development and content of their creative practice. This review will be accompanied by critical insights from academics, curators, and gallerists that will provide a platform of interpretation and analysis. Each book will be fully illustrated with a 'gallery' of the artist's finest images. The first book in this series will consider the exquisite cyanotypes of Alexander Hamilton (Chair of Studies in Photography), and Hamilton will subsequently act as Series Editor. Further publications will reflect upon the photographs of acclaimed photographers, including David Williams, Robin Gillanders, Jane Brettle, and others. All books are richly illustrated and beautifully bound in hard cover format. They are also available in companion e-format. This is an exciting development in publishing. It will demonstrate the relevance of Scottish art within an international context, while recognising the means by which photography continues to have a critical determination in the contemporary world.

About the Author
Alexander Hamilton (Scottish, born 1950) is an artist, publisher, and Series Editor for Studies in Photography books (Art and Visual Culture), distributed by Edinburgh University Press. He is also the Chair of the Scottish Society for the History of Photography. As an artist, his chosen medium is cyanotype. He has exhibited widely within the UK, Europe, and USA and his work is held at the National Science and Media Museum and with private and corporate collections. He is the recipient of numerous awards including from the British Council and the Leverhulme Trust.

Reviews
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.



Book Information
ISBN 9781838382261
Author Alexander Hamilton
Format Hardback
Page Count 168
Imprint Studies in Photography
Publisher Studies in Photography