Patrick Hamilton

Born in Leuven, Belgium, in 1974, Patrick Hamilton is an artist who studied art at the University of Chile. His work is characterized by its political interest in restoring the social burden that abstractionism and conceptual art have had in the past. Inspired by the avant-garde movements of the 20th century, Hamilton creates incisive and forceful critiques through an economy of visual language. In his Abrasive Paintings series, Hamilton creates geometric patterns, mostly rectangular, using black, white, red, or yellow sandpaper. These seemingly innocuous designs allude to bricks, but conceal an aggressive materiality that contrasts with the simplicity of rational design. In this way, the artist seeks to make connections between these types of clashes and the contexts of countries with which he is personally associated, such as Spain and Chile, alluding to social problems and their historical roots. Hamilton uses a variety of media to focus his reflections on the analysis of political and social tensions, from painting to urban intervention. Currently, he lives and works between Madrid, Spain and Santiago, Chile.