Zachary Clement

As a self-taught artist, I rely on instinct. The paintings that I make are not governed by a preconceived concept or theme, but are inspired by particular images that simply ask to be painted, even if for reasons that are not always clear to me at first.  It is through the process of painting—of experimenting with different materials and styles, of expressing in multiple variations the ways in which these images resonate—that the meaning of these paintings emerge.  It is an organic and obsessive process, one that I think comes closest to capturing the authenticity of an image and all the ideas that surround it.  In that sense, these paintings represent not only an interior image brought to life, but a process of self-knowledge as well.

The first series revolves around the image of an infant, "Young Alexander." Presented on a stark white background, these paintings attempt to discover the state of a person who has yet to be told by his society what values he should hold.  They are an attempt to pull out the essence of an individual, a purer self, from all the external forces that strive to shape him.

The second series is entitled "The Boxer." Also on a white background, these paintings try to express the mindset of an old fighter that is only one blow away from being knocked down for good, but night after night gets in the ring to face a new challenger.

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