<![CDATA[antony clarkson - Apophenia: An Uncanny Presence. 2022]]>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:30:31 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Of Juxtaposed Union.]]>Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:01:45 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-juxtaposed-union
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Of Juxtaposed Union, oil on canvas, 35 x 30 inches (89 x 76 cm).

Juxtaposed: placing or displaying two or more things side by side—or in close proximity, specifically to highlight their differences, compare them, or create a surprising, contrasting effect.  Compared, contrasted, set against.
Union: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one. Unification, merger, combination, fusion, amalgamation, joining. 

The paintings of the Apophenia Series are unresolved propositions. They resist resolution, not through obscurity, but through deliberate indeterminacy. Rather than presenting conclusions, they invite the observer to examine the processes through which meaning is constructed. The works ask not simply what is seen, but how seeing becomes understanding. In doing so, they encourage the observer to question the assumptions, associations, and patterns through which they perceive the world.
]]><![CDATA[Of Essential Enigmatics.]]>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:20:13 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-essential-enigmatics
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Of Essencial Enigmatics. Oil on plywood panel. 7 x 5 inches (178 x 122 mms). 

Essential: Referring to the fundamental properties or qualities of a thing without which it would cease to exist or lose its defining character. The term evokes notions of essence, core, soul, spirit, ethos, and intrinsic nature.

Enigmatics: Pertaining to that which is mysterious, elusive, or resistant to straightforward understanding. The term suggests qualities of mystery, puzzle, riddle, conundrum, and paradox, inviting interpretation while withholding definitive resolution.
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The Apophenia Series has generated an expanding vocabulary of abstract motifs that I continue to draw upon throughout the development of these works. As the series has evolved, these recurring formal elements have assumed an increasingly prominent role within its visual language, encouraging a more focused examination of their compositional potential. Recent works have therefore concentrated on investigating the placement, interaction, and spatial relationships of these motifs within individual paintings, exploring how variations in their arrangement can shape visual coherence, tension, and meaning.
]]><![CDATA[Of Misbegotten Lineage.]]>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 13:16:25 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-misbegotten-lineage
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​Of Misbegotten Lineage. Oil on canvas, 36 x 30 inches ( 91.5 x 76 cm).

Misbegotten denotes something poorly conceived, inadequately planned, or improperly brought into being; it may also imply illegitimacy, folly, or conceptual failure.

Lineage refers to direct descent from a common ancestor and encompasses notions of ancestry, bloodline, pedigree, and inheritance.

Painting operates within such genealogies. Methods, strategies, and visual languages are not fixed but evolve over time, carrying traces of their antecedents while generating new possibilities. Individual paintings likewise possess their own developmental trajectories. Some emerge quickly, while others remain unresolved for years. Several works in this body of practice were begun more than four years ago and have only recently been revisited, revised, and advanced toward completion, if completion can be said to exist at all. Rather than fixed endpoints, paintings may be understood as provisional states within an ongoing process of becoming.
]]><![CDATA[Of Turbulent Individuality.]]>Fri, 15 May 2026 19:59:18 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-turbulent-individuality
Picture

Of Turbulent Individuality. Oil on canvas. 40 x 30 inches (102 x 76 cms). 

​Turbulent: characterized by conflict, disorder, or unstability. Agitation, disorder, or tumult.

Individuality: characteristics, qualities, and traits that distinguish one person or thing from all others.  Uniqueness, distinctiveness, originality or idiosyncrasy. 

It has been quite some time since I last posted a new painting on my blog. Of Turbulent Individuality has remained intermittently on the easel for an extended period, though it now appears to have reached its resolution. I knew for some time that the work was nearing completion; it required only a few final brushstrokes, yet those strokes demanded the utmost care and precision in their execution.

]]><![CDATA[Of Knowledgeless Formation.]]>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:07:40 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-knowledgeless-formation
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Of Knowledgeless Formation. Oil on canvas. 40 x 30 inches (102 x 76 cms). 

Knowledgless: devoid of knowledge, ignorant, or lacking understanding. Uniformed, unknowing, uneducated or clueless.

Formation: the act of creating, developing, or arranging something.  Structuture, arrangemeny, creation, or configuration. 

The titling of this piece marks what I anticipate to be the culmination of one of my final revisions, at least for the present. While there remain a small number of other paintings under consideration for further reworking, my current focus is directed toward the development of several new works.​
]]><![CDATA[Of Feign Demeanor.]]>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:06:03 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-feign-demeanor
Picture

Of Feign Demeanor. Oil on canvas. 40 x 30 inches (102 x 76 cms). ​

Feign: to pretend, simulate, or give a false appearance of a feeling, state, or emotion. Pretend, simulate, fake, sham, or dissemble.

Demenor: the outward behavior, manner or bearing which reflects character or feelings. Bearing, deportment, manner, mien, compprtment or air. 

The recurring formal elements within these works have assumed increasing significance within the evolving visual language of the series, prompting a more deliberate and systematic consideration of their compositional function. This painting represents the first large-scale work to be realised with a sustained focus on exploring the range of possibilities inherent in the placement and spatial relationships of these formal “motifs” within a single composition. 
]]><![CDATA[Of Interior Diversity.]]>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:28:23 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/of-interior-diversity
Picture

Of Interior Diversity. Oil on plywood panel. 7 x 5 inches (178 x 122 mms). 

Interior: Situation within or inside, relating to the inside. Inside, Inner, Depths, Recesses, Nucleus, Core. 
Diversity:The quality or condition of having or being coposed of differing elements. Different, Disparate, Divergent, and Various.

​'The Apophenia Series' has provided an expanding repertoire of abstract motifs that I regularly incorporate into these works. Over time, these recurring formal elements have become increasingly significant within the visual language of the series, prompting a more deliberate consideration of how they function compositionally. In particular, I have recently begun to explore a variety of possibilities regarding the placement and spatial relationships of these formal “motifs” within individual compositions...
]]><![CDATA[How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 20. 'Of Orphic Personation'.]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:28:34 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/how-to-talk-about-a-painting-without-saying-anything-at-all-part-20-of-orphic-personation
Picture

​'OfOrphic Personation'.
Oil on canvas, 37 x 2.5 inches (94 x 70 cms).

How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 20. 'Of Orphic Personation'.

Orphic: having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding. Mysterious, mystic, mystical, occult, secret, esoteric.

Personation: the act of falsely assuming the identity, character, or appearance of another person.
Impersonation, portrayal, enactment, characterization.

The final element of the triptych is completed through the act of naming. As may be observed, the titles of the three paintings share a deliberate structural and thematic continuity. In each case, the second term, following the recurring preposition “Of” (“Delphic,” “Sibylline,” and “Orphic”), draws upon traditions of ancient Greek mysticism, prophecy, and divine revelation. These terms reference interconnected strands within the study of ancient Greek religion, particularly its oracular practices and esoteric belief systems, all of which engage with the notion of concealed or sacred knowledge.

The concluding term of each title, ("Persona,” “Personification,” and “Personation”), derives from the Latin persona, meaning mask. These closely related concepts concern the articulation or embodiment of identity, whether through the attribution of human qualities to abstract ideas or through the assumption of roles and performed selves. Collectively, they evoke a productive ambiguity between authenticity and artifice, subject and representation.

Taken together, the titles establish a conceptual dialogue between Greek traditions of hidden revelation and Latin-inflected notions of performed identity. While they share common etymological and philosophical ground, each introduces a subtle variation in emphasis, reinforcing both the unity and the internal differentiation of the triptych.

]]><![CDATA[​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 19. 'Of Unspecified Constitution'.]]>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:34:48 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/how-to-talk-about-a-painting-without-saying-anything-at-all-part-19-of-unspecified-constitution
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'Of Unspecified Constitution.
Oil on canvas, 27.5 x 20.5 inches (70  x 52cms). 

​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 19. 'Of Unspecified Constitution'.

Unspecified: Not explicitly stated; not mentioned; not detailed. Vague, anonymous, unmentioned, undetermined, unidentified, uncertain.
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Constitution: The composition of something. Composititon, make-up, structure, organisation, construction.

Various people have already shared feedback on this piece, as I’ve been posting photos of it as a work in progress. It has been both fascinating and genuinely helpful to see how differently people interpret what they see in my work. Often, the motifs are linked to three-dimensional forms. In this case, however, many observers feel the piece is more reminiscent of text or calligraphy. I find that shift in perception particularly interesting.
As usual, there was no specific intention on my part to suggest anything distinctly two- or three-dimensional. The forms evolved organically, without a predetermined narrative or reference. If you have any thoughts about what you see here, please don’t hesitate to share them with me. I truly value the dialogue and the different perspectives you bring.
 

]]><![CDATA[​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 18. 'Of Sibllyne Personification'.]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:14:02 GMThttps://www.antonyclarkson.com/apophenia-an-uncanny-presence-2022/how-to-talk-about-a-painting-without-saying-anything-at-all-part-18-of-sibllyne
Picture

'Of Sibylline  Personification'.
Oil on canvas, 37 x 2.5 inches (94 x 70 cms).

How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part18. 'Of Sibylline Personification.'

Sibylline: relating to or characteristic of a sibyl; prophetic and mysterious. Mysterious, esoteric, cryptic, impenetrable.



Personification: the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form. Manifestation, image, avatar, essence, embodiment.

This is the second piece is part of a triptych that I have been working on for some time. Second? First? Third? There is no definate order to the pieces of this triptych. They all relate but they are also all their own thing. 

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