The Upside Down is a surreal exploration of the emotional effects of lockdown on Hamilton’s family during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After only a few weeks confined at home, his eight-year-old son, William, began struggling to sleep alone, overwhelmed by fears that the world was coming to an end. At the same time, his teenage son, Henry, became increasingly frustrated and angry, disconnected from the routines and relationships that had structured his everyday life — his girlfriend, football, friends, and even school itself.
Witnessing these sudden emotional changes transformed the way Hamilton perceived both his children and the domestic environment around them. Familiar spaces began to feel strange, unstable, and psychologically charged. The series emerged from this shift in perception, becoming a visual interpretation of a world turned upside down, where anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty reshaped the emotional landscape of everyday life.
About Nicky Hamilton
Nicky Hamilton (born 1982) is a photographer and former Head of Art at M&C Saatchi. Coming from a strong visual and advertising background, his photographic practice has evolved around a highly cinematic approach to image-making. His method is deeply filmic, often involving the design and construction of elaborate sets to create carefully crafted scenes rich in atmosphere, symbolism, and narrative detail.
Through performance, staging, and visual tension, Hamilton explores the emotional states of his characters, producing images that feel both intimate and unsettling, suspended somewhere between reality and fiction. His work is driven by mood and psychological presence, creating photographs that invite viewers into emotionally charged worlds shaped by uncertainty, memory, and imagination. [Official Website]
