Louis Lanne - May 2026
Louis Lanne (b. 1995) is a French painter based in Paris. Trained in illustration, comics, and fine art, his work occupies a space between painting, drawing, and storytelling. Layering oil paint, marker, resin, and other materials onto magnetic whiteboards, he creates vibrant, dreamlike compositions populated by fragments of landscapes, invented characters, and wandering narratives.
Lanne's paintings often unfold like visual ecosystems. Forms emerge, disappear, and overlap, creating worlds that feel simultaneously playful and mysterious. Drawing on a visual language shaped by comics, childhood imagination, and observation, his work invites viewers to navigate between abstraction and storytelling.
Louis stayed at House of Hulda in May 2026 alongside fellow artist Rose Ras. In their application, they described the residency as an opportunity to step away from the pace of daily life and reconnect with a slower, more reflective way of working. The landscapes and biodiversity of Andøya were central motivations for their stay.
During the residency, Lanne spent much of his time drawing. Without deadlines or expectations, he allowed himself to sketch freely and follow ideas wherever they led. "It was the perfect opportunity for me to pause, reflect on my artistic practice, and sketch without any pressure."
The landscape quickly found its way into the work, though not through direct representation. Instead, the mountains, changing skies, wildlife, and long horizons were absorbed into his own imaginative vocabulary. "I drew a lot of imaginary landscapes, inspired by the cloudy fjords and haunted by the silhouettes of trolls."
Much of his time was spent looking. The large windows became viewing frames onto the surrounding landscape, while hikes and daily observations provided a constant source of visual material. Eagles, shifting weather, and the changing colours of the sky all became part of the residency experience.
"This residency was a very welcome break. It filled me with landscapes, shifting colours in the sky, wildlife, and birds."
Rather than producing a discrete body of work about Andøya, the residency provided a reservoir of images and impressions that continue to feed his painting practice. Like many of his works, where narratives reveal themselves gradually through layers and associations, the influence of the island seems likely to emerge over time.
"Rose and I will cherish very fond and peaceful memories of our time here."
Since his residency, Lanne continues to develop his distinctive painterly language, carrying forward the colours, atmospheres, and imagined landscapes that began to take shape during his time at House of Hulda.
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