The French artist Sylvain Lainé is more than just a painter – in his own words his artistic endeavours ‘question the politics of daily consumerism, calling attention to loss and absence.’ He sees his multifaceted activities as a sort of ‘stockpiling’, an exploration translated into writing, performance, video, drawing, photography and installations.

He grew up near Dunkerque, a coastal port in northern France, and from 1994 studied art at the École Régionale Supèrieure d’Arts Plastiques de Tourcoing, graduating in 1999 with a Diplôme National Supérieur d’Expression Plastique.

Lainé is best known for his paintings of louche young women leaning on bars, with backgrounds of bottles and nautical paraphernalia, though his imagination stretches to lesbian encounters and his ‘Love Orgy’ series.

He is also the author of two well-written and innovative erotic novels, Slow sex au Mas de Virginie (2017) and L’autel d’exstase (The Altar of Ecstasy, 2020), both unfortunately only available in French. In L’autel d’exstase unprecedented social chaos breaks out in France, with violence and human savagery spreading through the country. In the midst of this tension a sabbath of modern-day witches is organised to reconnect with the power of love, hope and renewal. As the full moon approaches all twenty-two initiates must be present so the required sexual force can radiate in all its brilliance and heal the turmoil.

Sylvain Lainé has exhibited in France and abroad, and is often to be found participating in artistic and alternative festivals. He now lives and works in Lille.

Sylvain Lainé’s Facebook page, where he posts occasional updates about his activities, can be found here.

We are very grateful to our Russian friend Yuri for suggesting the inclusion of this artist, and for supplying most of the images.