Quite simply, what is essential is neither the imagenor the deep meaning, neither the representationnor its hall of mirrored reflections, but the systemof relations. – Michel Serres, The Parasite

Over the last 20 years, Blake Rayne’s work has been central to questioning, expanding,and perforating contemporary beliefs regarding painting. This new body of work continuesthis engagement by alternatively revealing and obfuscating its stages of production. Thesurfaces of Rayne’s paintings are aggregates of various marks and materials. Gesturalabstraction, color gradients, prepared and unprepared fabrics are sewn and splicedtogether in an assemblage of objects bearing contradictory relations to classification. Inthis way, Rayne’s Spit Tests and Reverse Strikes revel in their mark–making whilecritically examining the tense situation of painting.

Blake Rayne (b. 1969, Lewes, Delaware) lives and works in New York. He attended theCalifornia Institute of the Arts (CalArts), received a fellowship from the American Acadamyin Berlin (2010), and has taught at Columbia University’s School of Visual Arts. Cabin ofthe Accused, Rayne’s first survey exhibition, was presented at the Blaffer Art Museum inHouston, Texas. Solo exhibitions include Dog Ears, Miguel Abreu Gallery, New York,2021;Yogurt Cinema, A Certain Lack of Coherence, Porto, 2019; Brother Ass, CentralFine, Miami, 2019; DOGSKULLDOGS, Miguel Abreu Gallery, New York, 2018, andCarbon Days, Nuno Centeno, Porto, 2018; among others. His work was included inCollected by Thea Westreich and Ethan Wagner at the Whitney Museum of American Art