Nature & Craft – Sculpture by Baptiste Lanne

Baptiste Lanne’s work embodies a profound dialogue between the artisan and nature, a relationship that unfolds through the tactile and the transformative properties of wood. His creations—ranging from intricate sculptures to ambient lamps—reflect a unique blend of personal experiences and a deep reverence for the natural world. Growing up in Normandy, surrounded by a forest his grandparents planted, Lanne developed an intimate connection with trees, perceiving them not merely as material but as living entities with stories to tell. This foundational experience informs his approach to his art, where each piece is not just crafted but is a narrative woven from the life of the wood itself. Moving to Biarritz to establish his studio marked a return to his roots, enabling Lanne to channel his childhood’s explorative freedom into a mature, artistic expression that seeks to bring the essence of nature into the domestic sphere.

Lanne’s self-taught journey into woodworking is a testament to his commitment to authenticity and personal expression. Each piece he creates is a product of meticulous hand-carving, a slow process that embraces the inherent qualities of wood, from its texture to its colour. His travels, particularly to Japan, expanded his perspective on craftsmanship, instilling in him a philosophy that values the deliberate pace of creation over the rush of mass production. This philosophy of slowness is evident in the textured surfaces of his work, where every gouge mark is a reminder of the human hand’s role in transforming raw material into art. Despite achieving efficiency over time, Lanne maintains a deliberate pace in his work, allowing the material and the moment to guide his creative process. This approach ensures that each piece, while perhaps sharing a silhouette with others, remains distinct—a singular embodiment of wood’s natural diversity.

Lanne’s artistic motivations are deeply intertwined with his personal history and his ongoing exploration of nature’s forms and mysteries. His sculptures and lamps serve as vessels for the natural treasures he collects, each creation a small altar to the beauty of the natural world. Through his work, Lanne invites us to reconsider our relationship with the objects that populate our lives, proposing a model of interaction that is sustainable, conscious, and imbued with care. His choice of wood, influenced by the living forest that grew up alongside him, speaks to a broader vision where art and environmental stewardship converge. In Lanne’s hands, wood becomes a medium for storytelling, each piece a bridge between the wildness of nature and the crafted spaces of human habitation, reminding us of the dawning light over the sea, and the poetry that materialises when we allow the natural world to inform our creative endeavours.

baptistelanne.com

BECOME A PART OF OUR DESIGN JOURNEY

Special discounts on OEN Shops curated collection

• Exclusive behind-the-scenes content
• Early access to content from our OEN publication
• Deep dive into design concepts
• Curated guides to the worlds top art and design cities