AGNOSIA (a Giclee Fine Art Print Couplet)

THIS IS A SET OF TWO.  

HOWEVER, YOU MAY REQUEST ONE.

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Wildly, I drew her BEFORE I knew who she was or what she stood for. I am still blown away by this. I said and I quote, “I don’t usually emulate the same character, but she spoke to me. She asked. I’m still waiting for her to tell me her name.” I lie to you not, the word then came to me last night (02/28) in a dream. I had mispronounced ‘ad nauseum,’ and the person in my dream said, “Agnosia?” and repeated several times and then I woke up. I knew it was her. In retrospect, what she stands for? It’s all very strangely and intricately connected to my own life. Thank you, Agnosia- for helping me see before it was too late. 

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Agnosia (Ἀγνωσία) is a figure in Greek mythology, regarded as the personification of blindness to abuse and deception, an “absence of knowledge.” She is neither fully deceived nor entirely aware, existing in a state of obscured truth. Unlike other deities associated with wisdom or foresight, Agnosia represents the inability to recognize harm, particularly when inflicted by those closest to the victim.

According to legend, Agnosia was once a mortal woman who trusted too easily, unable to see the malice hidden beneath kind words. Some versions of the myth claim she was loved by Dolos, the spirit of trickery, who wove illusions around her so skillfully that she mistook suffering for devotion. Others say she was cursed by the Moirai (Fates) to remain blind to her own suffering, ensuring that she would never escape her tormentor.

Eventually, Agnosia was transformed into a goddess, but unlike Athena or Themis, who granted wisdom and justice, she became a cautionary force. She is typically depicted as a statue with hair like woven silk and a body fractured with deep cracks, revealing an empty void beneath. Some ancient texts describe her as having blackened eyes, suggesting the absence of sight or understanding. She is rarely worshiped, but offerings of broken mirrors and white veils were sometimes left at crossroads by those seeking clarity after escaping abusive relationships.

While Agnosia is not widely mentioned in surviving Greek texts, scholars associate her with the themes of deception found in myths such as those of Narcissus, Persephone, and Kassandra. Some later interpretations link her to Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, suggesting that her power lies in erasing the recognition of harm until it is too late.

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(pencil, ultra sharp china marker, dull china marker, + micron pen: 0.05, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.07m + brush) ♥️