Out and up c. 1951 - 1952

This work, made when Hamilton was an art student, is one of a group in which he tried to present movement from an interior through a doorway to the space outside using the simplest elements possible. He realised that even a single line against the canvas can suggest space: its relative shape, size, colour, position and direction are all subconsciously interpreted by the human mind as having three-dimensional properties.Here, the stick-like units imply three-dimensional space, while the black spots are diagrammatic symbols that mark vanishing points. Gallery label, August 2004