Fanny Arnesen

My practice is based upon an exploration of the landscape and the emotion it evokes. Drawing inspiration from folklore, notions of the sublime and traditional landscape painting of the nineteenth century, I meticulously paint oil paintings predominantly on a large scale.

When tackling any project, I mindfully work through each process and organically add more details to the natural landscape – almost as if the subjects are growing symbiotically. Oil paint is my medium of choice, as it allows me time to go back to the landscapes that I love and to spend time exploring the details of what I originally experienced in one single fleeting moment.

Trees were once worshipped as gods. They were sometimes considered embodiments of the dark and fearful powers of nature, of lightning and thunder and storm. I perceive the forest as a surreal place, a breeding ground for something magical and powerful. By placing unexpected light sources in the forest, I explore themes such as loneliness and belonging by letting these little lights take full dominion of the landscape.