Impannata
Lukas Gschwandtner
The impannata was a traditional window covering used in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance: a wooden frame stretched with a thin fabric often linen or paper impregnated with oil to make it semi-transparent. Before the use of glass became common, it filtered light and protected interiors, mediating visibility, intimacy, inside and outside.
During his residency, Lukas Gschwandtner revisited this historical form, drawing inspiration from objects and settings at the Museo Horne, where original impannate could still be found. In the exhibition, his Impannata is placed directly at the window, retracing its original function as a surface that filters light and defines a threshold between interior and exterior.
Beyond the exhibition, Gschwandtner’s impannate are conceived as autonomous objects: modular room dividers that can be assembled by connecting the hinges with “U” joints. In this transformation, the artist turns an architectural device into a mobile and contemporary structure, emphasizing the relation between vision and intimacy.
Canvas, the material historically used for Renaissance impannate, remains central to his work: a surface that can capture and preserve traces, acting as a living memory of time.
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Lukas Gschwandtner (Salzburg, 1995) lives and works in Vienna. He holds a BA in Spatial from Chelsea College of Arts in London, UK, has received previous training in accessory design and traditional leather craftsmanship at Schloss Hetzendorf in Vienna, AUT.
Gschwandtner had solo exhibitions at Peana in Mexico City, MX (2023); Solo presentation, invited by Fendi at Design Miami in Miami, US (2022); Maniera in Brussels, BE (2021); Lant Street, curated by Jermaine Gallacher in London, UK (2020); Gschwandtner has presented works at PadParis in Paris, FR (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024); Design Miami in Basel, CH (2021); Collectable in Brussels, BE (2022). Gschwandtner has collaborated with various fashion houses such as Acne Studios and Lemaire. He has worked on several scenography projects, including the SS24 Acne Studios Show as part of Paris Fashion Week, FR (2023); He created Installations at Dover Street Market in London,GB (2024); and Beijing, CN (2022). Additionally, Lukas participated in the Persona Residency Exchange Program in Monterrey, MX (2019); funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund as well as Numeroventi in Florence, IT (2024-2025).
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