Lossapardo is the King of Sound and Vision

Painting, animation, and music that will strike at your very core

November 28, 2022

There’s something utterly mesmerising about the art of the French painter, animator and musician known as Lossapardo. It’s partly the subject matter – he approaches loneliness, sensitivity, emotion – but also the light too, which flood his paintings and reveal so much of the story. Self-taught across all disciplines, his music (that also accompanies the animations of his work) is dialed down and paired back, late night tales that tell a story of their own.

Lossapardo

What are you up to?

Something I do most of the time when I’m at home in Torcy (northern France) – I wake up and go to my studio. It’s a 10-minute walk and is where I paint (although not too much lately) and where I make music.

We’ve seen you labelled a ‘multidimensional classicist’, which sounds pretty heavy. How would you describe yourself?

Indeed, it does sound a bit heavy. I don’t put labels on things, I just give myself space to create. Some days it’s sonic, some days it’s visual, sometimes both. I’ve always loved to create, to transform, to turn my ideas into something that I can grasp.

Your painting often focuses on abstract or very subjective emotions. How do you connect with a topic like that and put it onto canvas?

I usually dive into myself. I question myself about how it makes me feel, what the room looks like when I go through this, loneliness, grief, dreams, how the light fills the room, because the light usually says it all for me. Basically, I’m trying to be as sincere as possible to describe on paper or canvas what the emotion means to me, and I do the same thing with music.

Lossapardo

Where did this all start for you?

Since a young age I was always drawing. At home, in class, anywhere I could find a pen and a piece of paper. After an attempt to enter medical school I decided to commit to art, that’s when I started painting. At first it was mostly to add the coloured dimension to my pieces, but I fell in love with the craft and its ability to tell stories. At that time I tried to enter a public art school in Paris, but was unsuccessful. So, I’ve been trying to pave my own way ever since. I taught myself how to paint, how to work with acrylic, paper and canvas, taking tips from a youtube video of painting restoration, or by following the work of other artists on the internet and, mostly, by opening my eyes to photography and the world around me.

You work closely with music, so does your art have a soundtrack as you paint?

I usually paint with music in the background, I’ve made myself a playlist with the songs I listen to. But sometimes it’s just the sound of the room and it’s enough. Sometimes I stop in the middle of painting a piece to go make music because the inspiration strikes at that moment.

We love your animations. How do you create them?

I didn’t take any classes, I just went with the basic knowledge I had of the craft – drawing, painting each frame, and compiling them in a sequence to create the motion. It’s incredibly time consuming but I don’t mind because it’s always special to me, to see that from a static piece of paper I can create motion and vivid stories.

Lossapardo

What’s your process for making music?

I have my guitars at my studio, a keyboard, and I usually play with these instruments until I find something that I can work with. Writing is an everyday exercise. When I have a thought or any ideas I write it down. Then, when I have a song I just complete the puzzle with all the pieces I have in my notes. I also love to share that moment with other artists and create music with them. It often opens conversations about life and really forces you to be more introspective.

Do you think that creative work like this teaches you about life?

One of the most important things this journey taught me is patience. I have to be patient to paint for hours and stay focussed until the very last brush strokes. Then you can apply everything you’ve learned in life. With the craft I had to pay more attention to detail, to paint myself I have to look at myself. It’s a rich, beautiful, introspective journey. I’ve been painting for eight years now, but it still feels new to me with so much more to experience.

OK, you can only paint or make music – which do you choose?

I don’t want to make that choice. For me, in the way I create, one goes with the other. My music is visual and my paintings are sonic!

Lossapardo

Fair enough. What are you working on now?

I’m working on new music, trying to create my first EP, LP, album or whatever you want to call it. As usual I’m telling stories, with acrylic and frequencies. I’ve also been trying oil painting lately.

Big question… what has been the most significant moment of your life to this point?

I think it’s happening right now, at this moment. Currently I feel like I’m at a crossing where lots of choices need to be made. The colours, the things around me are the same but also a little different. I have to adapt to that change, to me changing and growing.