Gerald Moore Gallery presents Shock of the Form, an exhibition of photography, film and ice sculptures bringing together two artists, photographer Peer Lindgreen and ice sculptor Duncan Hamilton.
The exhibition features 28 photographs by Lindgreen of Hamilton’s work with ice, alongside a giant crystal ice sculpture that takes centre stage in the gallery. Working collaboratively, the photos took Lindgreen and Hamilton over four years to produce, during which time they were testing the limits of ice with different processes.
Works such as BUG_P1, a 36-hour process uncovered unexpected and beautiful ways in which to manipulate this material. Flooded wedges of crystal ice with pink coloured water were allowed to fracture for the main body, whilst gasses bubbled in the ice to form delicate detailed frozen wings.
Playing around with different exposures to explore the relationship between light and ice is what fascinated Lindgreen, who captured these formations, sometimes operating in a minus-20c degrees shipping container in Hamilton’s southwest London studio. Works such as AURORA_ BLUE, made with blue water and cast with small crystal ice rocks, would be carefully lit to appear as planets in outer space and surrounded with flames from a gas torch to give off a blue haze.
‘Abstract other-worldly sci-fi pieces would greet me at times and other times more earthy works, a wonderful blend of ice sculpting and ice texture or both. We did a 360-degree slow-motion short film of an alien form in icy rain, a frozen sea in misty conditions. Every time I went, I just fell more and more in love with this frozen art form. During this passage of time with ice, I can conclude I have now experienced a cold love poem with all its lovely imperfections.’ Peer Lindgreen
The focus of Hamilton’s professional life to date has been creating magical shapes from a block of ice. By contrast, this exhibition is an attempt to combine the study of form and sculpture with an exploration of the beauty of the ice itself.
‘It all started 45 years ago with the discarded bits from my ice sculptures. The wasted, unwanted bits. I became fascinated with the beauty contained within each unique piece of ice: bubbles, minerals and beautiful fractures which sometimes split the spectrum to produce mini rainbows of colour. It was like looking into another world. I wanted a record of the beauty of that world, and it’s this ongoing conversation that Peer has captured with his camera.’ Duncan Hamilton
A film showing the practice of Hamilton’s work will be on display alongside traditional ice sculpting tools to introduce visitors to the methods of ice sculpting.
Gerald Moore Gallery, Mottingham Lane, London, SE9 4RW from 3 March – 19 March 2022. Times: Saturday 10am-4pm or by appointment. Admission: Free.