Silvina Lanusse: Gathering Memory and Emotion Through Collage

Silvina Lanusse (www.silvinalanusseart.ca) has always experienced art as a way to make sense of life when words fall short. Growing up in Argentina, surrounded by stories, color, and deep emotional connections to place and family, she discovered early on that creativity could hold what life sometimes scattered: memory, longing, and identity. As her life journey carried her across countries and chapters, art became her grounding force, a space where fragments could be gathered and made whole. 

Her creative process is intuitive, unplanned, and deeply tactile. Working from memory rather than photographs, she allows feeling to guide every decision. Paper is torn, layers accumulate, forcing color and texture to respond until the piece begins to speak back. “What starts as chaos slowly finds its own quiet harmony,” she reflects. The act of tearing becomes a release; the act of rebuilding becomes an understanding, a dialog between impulse and insight. 

Art, Lanusse explains, is her anchor. It shapes distance, gives form to love and holds many versions of herself. “Making art offers a place to land, a visual exhale where complexity doesn’t need to be resolved, only honored,” she says. It offers clarity through intimacy and attention. 

Vulnerability is integral to her practice. When fear arises, she slows down instead of pushing forward. She steps away, breathes, and returns with a fresh perspective. “Collage has taught me that tearing something apart doesn’t mean losing it - it can be the beginning of something stronger,” she notes. Staying present, even without immediate answers, guides the work toward its truth. 

What the Lake Saw by Silvina Lanusse

“Artists create spaces for reflection. We remind people to pause, feel, and note what often goes unnamed,” she explains. Art does not need to be loud; it can whisper, yet resonate deeply still with audiences. 

Silvina Lanusse’s work will be part of the 10th edition of Art Vancouver, May 28 - 31, offering audiences a chance to experience her intuitive, layered collages firsthand. Through her art, she invites viewers into a space where emotion, memory, and imagination.

By Marlene Ferhatoglu