Inspired by Verdure Tapestries, Kerrie Hughes’ paintings are similarly characterised by their green tones, complex foliage and flower motifs. They operate an interface between the exterior and the interior.

‘I painted my first green room when I lived in London, cut off from nature and surrounded by ugliness in the East End. The room was my haven and refuge, a private eden which I would retreat to, instantly feeling happy and calm. The inspiration came from Verdue Tapestry rooms I would come across in Britain. When I entered them I felt transported into another primal world, surrounded by muted greens and blues – idealised nature. I then encountered tapeter – portable murals painted on cloth, common in Sweden. I fell in love with this style – naïve, wild and folksy. This has led me to these large canvas. They encapsulate the viewer, encompassing them within this environment and atmosphere.’

New Zealand Background no 2 is an extension of Hughes’ first New Zealand Background series, 2020. Consisting of four loose hanging canvas, the paintings are complete in themselves, but combined operate as an immersive forest, a haven into idealised nature featuring both native and introduced species. Each of the four works has a different theme indicative of New Zealand’s diverse multicultural population; Indigenous, Chinese, South Pacific and Indian and is populated by familiar iconography, flora and fauna associated with these cultures.

The canvas are designed for interaction. Plants and animals are used as framing devices and the eye flits between the background and its environment, movement and animation created by the work’s audience. The effect is both calming and peaceful but conversely it is theatrical and dramatic, a stage set for the people and objects that interact with them.

Hughes is fascinated by “Selfie” culture and the dissemination curated information interacting with the world. In response to this, the artist invites her audience to take images with the works, a snap shot of the here and now. It is also an experiment of sorts – will people be drawn to certain paintings? Is this conscious? Will age and gender play a role? And how and where do people place themselves within the picture itself?

“We are all different types of flowers but together we make a beautiful garden.” FARID AHMED