Bio

Sam Hamilton is a working-class interdisciplinary artist from Aotearoa, New Zealand, of Pākehā (English settler colonial) descent, who immigrated to Portland, Oregon (so-called US) in 2024.

​After two decades of full-time practice across multiple fields and global regions, Hamilton's practice today resembles an ecology more than a discipline—a garden of fertile hybridisation, rhizomatic inquiry, and verdant displays of seasonal emergence. In blending political criticality with a playful and humane sensibility, and maintaining a tensioned balance between structure and messiness, and determination and ambiguity, Hamilton’s work is often ties together the simple with the complex. Whether taking form as opera, painting, sound installation, photography, artist cinema, writing, ceramics, civic works, or social practice, Hamilton’s work has always been informed by the belief that art is a powerful critical modality through which real human cultural and material prosperity can be realised. And that the artist has an inherent responsibility to make good on that potential.


A year-long song,

a meandering path,

and a pregnant pause,

between an entrance and an exit.

​




Awards / Grants / Commissions / Residencies

  • Oregon Arts Commission, Artist Fellowship award (2026)

  • The Ford Family Foundation’s Hallie Ford Fellowship of the Visual Arts Award (2024)

  • Portland Regional Arts & Culture Grant (2024)

  • Oregon Community Foundation Creative Heights Award (2023)

  • Creative Capital Award (2022)

  • Seattle Art Museum Betty Bowen Special Commendation Award (2022)

  • Bodecker Foundation Halfing Studio mini-residency (2022)

  • Sou’wester Lodge AiR (2022)

  • The Ford Family Foundation Project Grant (2021)

  • Oregon Arts Commission Professional Development G rant (2021).

  • Numerous Creative New Zealand Arts Grants (2007 - 2020)

  • Sharjah Arts Foundation artist-in-residency. UAE (2020) (cancelled due to pandemic)

  • Ford Family Foundation Golden Spot Award, Leland Iron Works Artist Residency. OR, USA (2019). 

  • Finalist for the SFFILM New American Fellowship. USA (2019).

  • OICR Fellowship in Critical Studies and Filmmaking. USA (2018) (offered, not accepted)

  • Locust Project 20/20 exhibition commission. Miami, FL. (2018).

  • Cinema Bay Society LIGHT PRESS Grant (2017).

  • THICK CINEMA Commission from CIRCUIT Artist Film & Video Aotearoa (2017).

  • Oregon Arts Commission Professional Development. Apple Pie Tour (2017).

  • Wallace Arts Trust grant for Apple Pie (2016).

  • CIRCUIT Artist Production Commission (2015).

  • Wallace Awards finalist (2014).

  • ESXLA artist in residence program, Los Angeles (2014, invited but not undertaken).

  • Oikia Karapanou Studios Residency, Aegina Island, Greece. (2012).

  • The Arts Foundations New Generation Artist Award (2011).

  • Extrapool, Artist in Residence Program, Netherlands (2011).

  • Goethe Institut Cultural Ambassador Exchange Residency Berlin (2011, invited, not undertaken).

  • “Best Music for short choreographic work”, TEMPO Festival, Auckland (2010).

  • Best EXiS Award (best of the fest) – ExiS festival Seoul, Korea. (2009).

  • 3rd Prize for Film Category for Blue “Tide/Black Water” Flex Fest, Florida. (2009).

  • Auckland Council Living Room Program Commission collaboration with John Reynolds. (2011). 

  • SOUNZ Community Commission (2008).

  • Starving Artist Award (2007).

  • Mamori Sound Project residency, Brazilian Amazon (2007).


Solo Exhibitions

  • To avoid drowning, become the ocean. Luminary Arts, St Louis MO, (spring 2026)

  • Background drivers. Converge 45 Trienial, OR (summer 2026)

  • Te Moana Meridan, SFU Contemporary Art Museum GENERATOR Harbor Hall Gallery (2025)

  • Te Moana Meridian, Oregon Contemporary for Converge 45 Triennial (Aug-Oct 2023)

  • Te Moana Meridian, Artspace Aotearoa, Aotearoa New Zealand (2022).

  • Auckland Council Living Room Programme collab with John Reynolds (group show) (2010).

  • What is a choir - Brick Bay Sculpture Park (2010 - 2020). 

  • “Everyday Nancy sat on the street corner and watched the sunset” Auckland Live! Aotea Square Digital Stage (2019).

  • “Everyday Nancy sat on the street corner and watched the sunset” Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Rear Window (2018). 

  • “Everyday Nancy sat on the street corner and watched the sunset” CIRCUIT Artist Film & Video, Mason Street, Wellington (2018).

  • Apple Pie – The Wallace Pah Homestead (2017-2018).

  • Standard Candles – Portland Art Museum. 6x month Solo Exhibition (2017).

  • Our Grandfather is the Jaguar. NZ Film Archives, Auckland (2009).

  • Sam Hamilton works. Audio Foundation. 2011).

  • Blue Tide, Black Water - Wellington City Gallery, SQUARE2. (2008/09)

  • SONAR REALIDAD INTERIOR – High Street Project, Christchurch (2008).

  • LOOKLESSNESS – The NZ Film Archives Gallery, Wellington (2007).

Solo Exhibitions (as contributor or collaborator to others)

  • ja’ / buuts’ / t’aan (Water / Smoke / Word) by Patricia Vázquez Gómez - Portland Institute For Contemporary Art (2025)

  • Rirkrit Tiravanija, ARTSPACE Aoteaora (2008)

  • Hector Zamora installation, Auckland Arts Festival. (2011)

Group Exhibitions

  • Liminal Gestures, Theatre for the New City, NYC (2025)

  • Te Moana Meridian, Transmediale, Berlin, Germany, (2021).

  • IN GRATITUDE, Center for Contemporary Art & Culture at PNCA, Portland OR (2020).

  • “How to Live Together”, St Paul St Gallery, AUT, Aotearoa (2019). 

  • “20/20”, Locust Project, Miami, Florida. Group show (2018).

  • Free Radicals, Govett Brewster, NZ (2018).

  • Wallace Awards Finalists Exhibition, TSB Wallace Arts Centre, Pataka Museum (2014-2015)

  • Seeds of the Wild – at Puffin Room Gallery, NYC. (2009).

  • Post Office – AR SPACE. 2010. group show (2019).

  • Utopia into Dystopia – The Sculpture Park, Waitakaruru Arboretum (2013).

  • Bodies / Cities – Window Gallery (2013).

  • Viewfinder series. Auckland City Library. (2009).

  • Gallery RFD. GA, USA. (2009).

  • The Speed of Sound – Gus Fisher Gallery (2008).

  • Empirical Soundings – Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival. Melbourne (2006).

  • visible/invisible – Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland University (2006).

  • Mind Games: Surrealism in Aotearoa, Hastings Art Gallery NZ (2009).

Select screenings

  • David Attenborough presents (series), at Movie Madness with Converge 45 (2025)

  • Apple Pie, PAMCUT (2024).

  • Apple Pie, Morra Fondazione, Napoli, Italy (2023).

  • Apple Pie, Anita Gallery, Astoria, OR (2022).

  • THICK Cinema screening series at Whitechapel Gallery, London (2018).

  • THICK Cinema screenings Christchurch Art Gallery, Adam Art Gallery, & Te Uru Gallery (2017). 

  • Gray Area, SF (2017)

  • Film Forum, Seattle (2017)

  • CLOSE UP, London, (2017)

  • The Echo Park Film Center, LA (2009 & 2010)

  • Panel LA, Los Angeles (2017)

  • Bread and Salt, San Diego (2017)

  • New Zealand International Film Festival (2016)

  • New Zealand International Film Festival (2008)

  • Flex Fest, FL, USA (2008)

  • ExiS festival, Korea (2008).

Collections

  • The Portland Art Museum

  • The Wallace Arts Trust

  • The Brick Bay Sculpture Park

  • National Archives of New Zealand

  • Nā Taonga Sound & Vision Archives

  • Oregon Contemporary

  • Private collections

Select performances

  • Te Moana Meridian (opera). Prototype Festival NYC (Scheduled for January 2027)

  • Te Moana Meridian (opera). Portland Art Museum (2024) 

  • THIS IS A CHOIR. 60-piece choral work performed at the Portland Art Museum. (2019). 

  • Dokfest, Kassel, Germany (2013).

  • ISSUE Project Room, NYC (2009).

  • Extrapool Brombron series, Netherlands (2012).

  • Kawahara Shrine, Nagoya, Japan (2015).

  • Artspace Triennial opening performance (2011).

  • Lines of Flight festival (2012).

  • ISSUE Project Room, NYC (2009)

  • Otherfilm Festival, Australia (2007)

  • Meredith Festival, Australia (2007)

  • Lines of Flight Festival, NZ (2007)

  • Alt Music Festival (multiple 2006-2009).

  • Abysmml fkks Abysmal, Cross St Studios (2010).

  • Shifting City Sound Scapes, Cross St Studios (2009).

  • Long Beach Art Theatre, LA (2009)

  • NOW now Festival, Sydney Australia (2008)

  • Echo Curio, LA, (2009 & 2010)

  • This is Not Art Festival, Australia (2010)

  • Mutenta, Santiago de Chile (2014)

  • Plana B (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

  • Alt Music Festival, NZ (2005 & 2006)

  • Camp A Low Hum festival, NZ (2010)

  • SPLORE festival, NZ (2009)

  • Adam Art Gallery, NZ (2007)

  • Athens International Comics Festival, Greece (2012)

  • Tempo Dance Festival, NZ (2009)

  • Gus Fisher Gallery performance series, NZ (2009)

  • 38 solo music performances across the US with Metal Rouge & Peaking Lights (2010)

  • Auckland Arts Festival commission, NZ (2010)

Select Performances with MAU Dance Company

  • The Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi opening ceremony, Abu Dhabi (2017) 

  • Unesco World Headquarters, Paris (2015), 

  • Brooklyn Academy of Museum, NY, (2014)  

  • REDCAT, Los Angeles, (2013)

  • Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany (2012)  

  • Ruhr Triannale, Germany (2014) 

  • New Zealand Festival, New Zealand (2014)  

  • KVS, Brussels, Belgium (multiple)

  • Hannover Festival, Heddenhausen Palace (2015)

  • Esplanade, Singapore (2011)

  • Taipei, Taiwan (2012)

  • Onassis Center, Athens, Greece (2013)

  • Festival Marsielle, France (2014)

  • Luminato Festival, Toronto (2015)

  • Montreal Festival (multiple)

  • Festival a Mil, Santiago, Chile (2014)

  • Carriage Works, Sydney (multiple)

Filmworks

  • Apple Pie (82 minutes. Super 16mm color film. 2016)

  • Everyday for thirty years, Nancy sat out on her street corner to watch the sunset  (11:45 minutes. Anamorphic 16mm color film, 2018)

  • David Attenborough Presents: The History of Evolution / The Evolution of History (2:45 minutes. Super 8 film, 2012)

  • David Attenborough Presents: The History of Dirt Laundry / The Dirty Laundry of History (2:45 minutes. Super 8 film, 2014)

  • David Attenborough Presents: The History of Commodities / The Commodification of History  (2:45 minutes. Super 8 film, 2017)

  • Blue Tide, Black Water (35mm film, 2008)

  • Taking Solos (2:45 minutes. 16mm color film, 2017)

  • More or Less Rubbish (2:45 minutes. anamorphic, 16mm B&W film, 2017)

  • Sovereignism Amendment #1  (HD video, 2019)

  • Sovereignism (HD video, 2011)

  • Parasitic Fantasy Band expanded cinema works: Multiple performance works 2006 - 2012.

Curatorial

  • Te Moana Meridian Conference #2 @ PICA for TBA Festival. (2024)

  • Te Moana Meridian Conference with Artspace, AUT & Vā Moana Pacific Spaces Research Cluster. (2022)

  • The NZ International Film Festival FPS Program of Experimental Film & Live Cinema. (2005 – 2009).

  • Ben Rivers & Ben Russel NZ Tour @ NZIFF & Len Lye Foundation (2008)

  • The Cinema Ascension Festival. (2007)

  • The Alleluya Noise Festival. (2005 – 2006)

  • Alleluya Noise Events (2005-2007)

  • The Feel Good Things Festival. (2010)

Discography

  • Integrifolia (full-length LP, 2012)

  • Pala (full-length LP, 2010)

  • Sooty Symposium (full-length CD, 2009)

  • Time Banking (full-length album, with Jan Anderson, 2014)

  • Super Positions (full-length album, 2018)

  • Low Hill (single)

  • Tropics (7” record EP, 2007)

  • City Peoples Farmers Music (8” record EP, 2008)

  • Piano Piece for a Particular Distance (composition, 2006)

  • New Gold Mountam, by New Gum Sarn  (producer, 2012)

  • Soundtrack for LITTLE LOVE (35mm short film by Tien Lee)

  • Soundtrack for “The Moth” (short 35mm experimental dance film by Campbell Farquhar)

  • Soundtrack for “Anguish” (feature-length film by Tim Van Dammen)

  • International Tall Dwarfs – last Helen Young Studio Sessions, by the Tall Dwarfs (full-length CD)

  • Lima Sublime (Collaboration with Chris Galarreta, Pez Plátano & Wilder Gonzales)

  • Shorturtohn (EP, 2005)

  • Organ Organ Organ Organ, Hamilton, Kneale, Milton, Neville. Full length CD (2005)

Performance Works

  • Te Moana Meridian (2024 director)

  • Fkks Abysmmal Fcks (2009 collaborator)

  • Stones in her Mouth (2012, working for MAU)

  • Bird with Sk Mirrors (2011, working for MAU)

  • Prometheus Opera (2013, working for MAU),

  • SavaliMisc MAU works (2008-2011 working for MAU)

  • Tempest: Without A Body (2008 working for MAU),

  • WA (colab with Cathy Livermore, 2012)

  • Organ, Organ, Organ, (2023, director)

  • Organ, Organ, Organ, Organ (2005, collab)

  •  Tramp State (colab with John Reynolds, 2009)

  • Parasitic Fantasy Band (multiple works in collab with Eve Gordon 2005-2009)