Caroline Achaintre (born Toulouse, 1969) works across a diverse range of media that includes textiles, ceramics, prints and watercolours, using techniques typically associated with the applied arts. Her work is colourful and potent, evoking the subversive spirit of Carnival and creating an atmosphere that is simultaneously playful and absurd.

Her sculptures, hand-tufted wool wall-hangings, drawings and paintings are colourful and potent, evoking the subversive spirit of European carnival and creating an atmosphere that is simultaneously playful and absurd. Citing German Expressionism, post-war British sculpture and Primitivism as influences, her work also makes reference to more contemporary sub-cultural strands of sci-fi, the Goth-metal scene, psychedelia and horror films.

BALTIC’s major survey exhibition will explore the breadth of Achaintre’s practice, comprising a selection of work from the last decade together with new work made specially for the exhibition.

(Image: Caroline Achaintre, Africana 2007, Linocut, Image courtesy the artist and Arcade, London)