Sleep, work and paint – this was last year’s distinctive routine in Louane’s life, but also in that of millions of other people around the world. Lockdown has confined many people to a minimum of space, which is especially challenging during the winter months. This is how Louane expresses his longing and memories of his past excursions in Switzerland and abroad.
The portrayed locations are all based on a true city or landscape that Louane visited, but are enhanced by adding his unique perspective. The aesthetic character of Louane’s works is expressionistic and free in use of colour. The depicted architectural motifs and landscapes seem sacral and surreal at once. The mosaic-like and detailed colour fields reinforce the brilliant and vibrant impression of appearing as something sacred. The forms and fields are geometric and precise. The striking colour contrasts are complemented by a prevailing renunciation of perspective and shading, which underlines the dreamlike surreal mood.
„ I like to paint to take my mind off things.“
Gaspard Louane, 2021.
The expressionist style outweighs the aesthetic and factual layer. The artist wants to present his experience to the viewer. In contrast to generic postcards, Louane achieves a personal and subjectified representation of reality through his paintings.
Louane continues to draw on the theme of postcards in the back of his paintings. In this series, however, he no longer paints the stamps, but uses stamps from a precious stamp collection he inherited from his father. Again, on an other level, he incorporates a personal touch of his family heritage into his art.
Over all Louane combines his personal history and his personal motifs that are part of his own journey of live experience, whether in the literal or metaphorical sense. Each of his artworks means “home” to Louane in a way – it does not matter, if it is created in his room or on a wall far away, or if it is created in his heart, in his head or in his imagination.
Tania di Brita
Installation view
Rautistrasse 11
8047 Zurich
Switzerland
Only on appointment
T +41 79 301 11 37