Liquid Jesus
Caroline Achaintre, 2004
Information
Created in 2004, Liquid Jesus is a hand-tufted wool tapestry (rug) with dimensions of 240 × 180 cm. The work belongs to the Chandris Collection and combines a traditional weaving technique with an almost sculptural quality, thanks to the volume and dynamic texture of the wool.
Artistic Context
Caroline Achaintre (b. 1969, Toulouse – raised in Germany) is a graduate of Goldsmiths College in London and is active primarily in Britain. Her work includes woven pieces, sculptures, linocuts, and digitally processed watercolors.
In Liquid Jesus, Achaintre uses the soft, warm texture of wool to create an image of tension and psychological provocation. The motifs allude to the aesthetics of horror, goth, and heavy metal subcultures, while the contrast between the medium and the content creates a sense of destabilization. Her work is simultaneously surrealistic and expressionistic, making her pieces intensely emotional and idiosyncratic.
Placement & Dynamics at The Met
Liquid Jesus is exhibited as part of The Met Hotel’s permanent collection, highlighting the hotel’s connection with artistic forms that combine materiality with contemporary psychological expression. The work activates the space like a “woven sculpture” that subverts the visitor’s expectations and creates an aesthetic condition of emotional provocation and visual surprise.
Why it deserves your attention
- Material and Instinct: The warm, natural material of wool contrasts with the “harsh” image—an experience of both texture and tension.
- Intercultural Tension: It comments on aesthetic traditions from goth to tribal forms with a personal, European imprint.
- Subversion of Decor: It’s not a rug—it’s a voice. Placed on a wall, the work seems to “descend” toward the viewer, almost physically.