Kudzu Blue

Wilder Gallery is pleased to present Kudzu Blue, the second solo exhibition of works by Anne Carney Raines with the gallery, presented in collaboration with Soho Revue.

The exhibition showcases a new body of work created by the artist since her relocation to the English countryside. Raines' recent work interweaves a profound connection to her Southern American roots with a rich tapestry of imagery drawn from British grand estates, historic properties, public footpaths, and the nuances of traditional English life. Key influences include the tapestries at William Morris's Kelmscott Manor and the dining room at Chastleton House. The artist was captivated by the effortless beauty, rich textures, and serene color palettes of the delicate Delft tiles adorning antique fireplaces and the dinner plates once displayed as artworks within these grand homes. Warp and Weft I and II exemplify Raines' desire to capture the charm of these decorative elements encountered during her exploration of these traditional English homes.

The exhibition's title, Kudzu Blue, acts as a reminder of Raines’ U.S Southern roots. Kudzu, often referred to as "the vine that ate the South," is an invasive plant that blankets trees and telephone poles on the edges of towns and roadsides, taking upon monster-like forms. Introduced from Asia in the late 19th Century, Kudzu has dramatically reshaped parts of the Southern landscape, both physically and in myth. Stories of Kudzu’s invasive vigour and aggressive growth have permeated literature and popular thought, to the point where it has become almost synonymous with the Southern landscape and experience. However, some argue that Kudzu rarely penetrates deep into the forest, thriving primarily alongside road and rail where it visibly dominates in gargantuan scale and spectacle. As such, Kudzu acts as a potent reminder of the idea of artifice in storytelling and representation.

In Raines' paintings, the idyllic pastoral countryside is juxtaposed with the dusty, warm tones of the American frontier. Cool colour palettes are disrupted, revealing and framing rich scenes of idealised landscapes. Creases ripple across the painted surface, mirroring the folds of fabric. Mountains, trees, and sky are reflected in the watery oasis at the base of the paintings. Drawing on her background as a scenic painter, Raines constructs intricate environments that highlight the artifice of painting through the visual language of theatre and set design. Raines layers imagery, creating stage-like, theatrical settings that transform the canvas into a portal into her imagined world. Through implied doors and windows, the viewer is invited to enter (or exit) an existence open to interpretation. This sense of invitation suggests that the imagery itself is narrating a story – a deeply personal narrative that seems to speak to the inhabitants of these depicted landscapes.