Elisa H. Hamilton

Elisa H. Hamilton is a socially engaged multimedia artist who creates artworks and community-centered projects that emphasize shared spaces and the hopeful examination of our everyday places, objects, and experiences. She holds a BFA in Painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MA in Civic Media from Emerson College. Hamilton is a 2023 Brother Thomas Fellow, and she has been recognized by WBUR as one of 25 Artists of Color Transforming The Cultural Landscape. In 2024, Hamilton was bestowed with an honorary doctorate from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her work has been shown locally and nationally in solo and group exhibitions. She has been the recipient of numerous commissions and grants to create artworks, community projects, and participatory programs. These works include Jukebox, a permanent art installation and archive of community narratives, commissioned by the City of Cambridge; Can you see me? a participatory art project at ICA Boston’s Art Lab; and Sound Lab, an interactive installation commissioned by The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum showcasing the sounds and voices of Boston-area community organizations. Hamilton has created projects for institutions including Boston Center for the Arts, The Currier Museum of Art, MIT List Visual Arts Center, Tyler School of Art, DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, The MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and For Freedoms. In addition to her work as an artist, Hamilton is an educator who has served in multiple roles at institutions in the Greater Boston academic community. She is currently the Visiting Community Artist at Olin College of Engineering.

Photo: Kate Preftakes