The Duel (2026) Original Oil Painting by Atticus Blick

My work explores movement, memory and narrative. The subjects of my paintings exist in states of transition: a sailor facing a changing sea or horses racing towards a finish line.

My paintings are rooted in lived experience, drawing inspiration from moments both extraordinary and familiar—from the spectacle and energy of a derby race to the quiet atmosphere of evening walks in the Kent countryside where I grew up.

Movement often exists alongside stillness in the composition, creating a tension between ambiguity and certainty. This reflects the ways in which personal narratives are shaped, distorted, and reconstructed through memory.

I paint predominantly in oils. Each layer simultaneously conceals and reveals, creating something new while uncovering traces of what was already there. I work on large canvases, creating immersive paintings in which details, gestures and relationships emerge gradually.

When not painting, I am a criminal barrister, dealing daily with the power and limitations of memory – I carry that into my artworks. Memory can feel more vivid and enduring than the world around us, shaping compelling narratives that carry conviction. Yet memory is also fallible, susceptible to omission, abstraction and even self-deception.

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 120 x 150 x 2cm
• Signed on the front
• Style: Expressive and gestural
• Subject: Abstract and non-figurative