Triad; Bat.Nite

These two works together illustrate the broad creative process of Caroline Achaintre, a contemporary artist who was born in France, grew up in Germany and trained in London, the city where she now lives and works. Bat.Nite is an ink drawing on paper which recalls the dynamism of early Constructivist art. The images in the pools and dribbles of ink appear accidental and strange, uncanny figures which canÂ’t quite be made out. The artistÂ’s raw, hand-tufted wool work, exemplified here by Triad, has this same quality of strangeness. The wool is tufted through the reverse of the canvas so there is an element of unknowingness about how the piece will turn out. References for these wool works range from German Expressionist paintings and the primitive art which inspired them, through to post-war British abstract art and sculpture, of which Southampton City Art Gallery has a particularly strong collection.