Anouk Lamm Anouk - The Quiet Rising Star
Anouk Lamm Anouk (not a stage name) lives and works in a magnificent old apartment in the heart of Vienna, a short distance from the Parliament building. A refuge that Anouk created with wife Marleen, and where they live with their dog and cat. Viennese born and bred, Anouk is in their early 30s, non-binary and goes by they/them in English. So far, there’s no equivalent in German. In her studio, surrounded by countless works, the softly-spoken artist talks openly about their autism and the highly-sought-after art that is everywhere you look. Yorkshire terrier Sirius Grace, lap dog and assistant all in one, is always at their side.
As quiet as Anouk is on a personal level, their message could scarcely be any louder. “No age, no gender, no origin” is their manifesto. Activist elements are an unmissable feature of Anouk’s message. “My work is highly conceptual and very political. So to a certain extent I am an activist.” Their celebrated series Lesbian Jazz brings underrepresented Lesbian art to the fore in fine art. Anouk recalls something that they struggled to understand as a child: “I think that normalcy can only stem from visibility. When I was little there just wasn’t a term for non-binary individuals, there were few openly lesbian people and autism was not visible. So things are definitely moving along – but there’s a long way to go.”
From New York to Hong Kong
When other young people were out partying, Anouk was busy developing their own signature as an artist. “I had to create everything that I am and have today myself. There was no alternative to art for me, but it was also a risk as I don't have any networks or other forms of security.” As a child Anouk always put pencil to paper, with canvas coming along some time later. Today, the artist creates sculptural pieces, adding acrylics to huge Belgian canvasses, while not using the primed front side but the reverse one, with its light beige base color that always shines through. Beholders will find lots of abstract bodies, as well as circles and lines. Animal motifs also feature – especially horses and lambs, which symbolize strength and purity. Anouk’s style is pared down, yet monumental. Full of tenderness, light and elegance.
This unmistakable painting method, which they honed at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and the Berlin University of the Arts, quickly sent the Viennese artist’s stock soaring. Demand for their work continues to ride high. Buyers of her acrylic works on canvas pay anywhere from low four figure sums to tens of thousands of euros for larger pieces. Anouk’s work first went on show in 2014 at Vienna’s Belvedere 21, and their career trajectory reached a new level in the wake of a STRABAG Artaward International win in 2021. This year, activities center on solo shows in Venice and Bonn. Other ports of call include New York, Chicago, Seoul, Beijing and Hong Kong. Anouk: “I wanted to take it a little easier in 2024, but there were so many things that came up that I didn’t want to turn down. I am grateful for the visibility.”
Silence Reigns Supreme
Anouk Lamm Anouk works a lot, on many projects in parallel, and sets great store by discipline and attentiveness: “I can’t afford to make any mistakes, I can’t just paint over things.” No sketches are made. Sometimes works are ready after a week, sometimes they take six months to complete. One of the trademarks of Anouk’s pieces is the use of an earthy, pastel foundation color. There are no overly strong colors to be found. Black and white and beige dominate: “Too much color makes me nervous, it would be an overload for me. I like art that grounds you and sets good feelings in motion.”
The hype surrounding Anouk continues unabated, although the attention took some getting used to at first: “The biggest complement for me is the interest in my art. I want to reach people. But that is my job, that’s not how I am as a private individual. I am shy and introverted and I draw my energy from quiet.” And that is precisely what Anouk finds in Vienna: “In spite of its status as a major capital, in my eyes the city has always exuded a sense of calm. Beyond that, I just love Vienna’s beauty.” A perfect symbiosis.
More information: anouklammanouk.com
This article was published as part of the Vienna, Intl. 2025 magazine. Text: Maria Schaller
