Apophenia: An Uncanny Presence.
Dunoon Burgh Hall Gallery
10th Street Studio, USA, 2022 - 2023
Athole House Studio, Scotland, 2021
Although I have been using the word presence to denote the manifestations, in my work, I am now wondering if it is perhaps the best word to use. If the presence in question is always, pseudo, human should I be considering the idea of anthropomorphism instead? Or perhaps in more global terms even pareidolia? Or more properly apophenia?
Apophenia: the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas).
Dunoon Burgh Hall Gallery
10th Street Studio, USA, 2022 - 2023
Athole House Studio, Scotland, 2021
Although I have been using the word presence to denote the manifestations, in my work, I am now wondering if it is perhaps the best word to use. If the presence in question is always, pseudo, human should I be considering the idea of anthropomorphism instead? Or perhaps in more global terms even pareidolia? Or more properly apophenia?
Apophenia: the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas).
NN (Nomen Nescio): An Uncanny Presence.
Oil on canvas
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I have been experimenting with various abstract forms via sculpture and drawing but for a long time struggled to find the solution to my problem. It was only when I started to reflect on some of the latter pieces in the Personal Topographies series that I realised that abstract, uncanny, presences had already started to evolve in these works. And that the later paintings in my Personal Topographies Series were in fact the first paintings in my new series Apophenia: An Uncanny Presence.
Sojourn of the Gonfalon. Oil on canvas. SOLD
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Almost There. Acrylic on paper. SOLD
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NN II : An Uncanny Presence
Oil on canvas.
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Apophenia seems to me to be the ideal for me to explore the idea of abstract presences in my paintings. This series is intended to perhaps suggest a presence without definitively introducing one onto the painted plane. As I was unaware that the when I painted the earlier works in this series were actually part of the series they were given what can be considered rather 'suggestive' titles: 'Sojourn of the Gonfalon' and 'See Creatures by First Light' are good examples. and this end I have spent a long time considering the titles of these paintings so as to not convey any influence of my own onto the observer.
