Allison Janae Hamilton

In immersive meditations on the rural American South, Allison Janae Hamilton draws on natural landscapes and historical reference to create earthy and evocative photography, film, and installations. The New York-based artist was born in Kentucky, raised in Florida, and grew up spending time on her maternal family’s homestead in Tennessee, which inspires and informs the deep connection to the natural world in her work. Reminiscent of classic studio portraits of African-Americans, Hamilton’s darkly whimsical compositions are electrified by uncanny taxidermy and the artist’s powerful sense of place. Hamilton’s imagined naturalism blends historical narratives with myth, finding the magic in the routines and rituals of rural life.