Sky Art series | Thomas Lamadieu
The narrow urban or town courtyard can bring both freedom and confinement to those who dwell within. It does depend on how one views it. The high walls of the surrounding buildings blot out most of the sky, leaving only a narrow area to view. But on the other hand, the towering walls of the surrounding buildings blot out the rest of the world, leaving one free to exist in their own, created between them and their personal bit of sky.
© Lamadieu Thomas
One thing that remains constant, whether one feels freed or confined, is that bit of sky. That odd, (ir)regular shape of blue or gray or black, that is cut by the extruded manmade footprints.
© Lamadieu Thomas
The French artist Thomas Lamadieu has taken these skyscapes for his canvases. On top of photographs shot skyward, he lays down his mind’s marks of what occupies the voids. A guitar-playing chicken, a strung-out owl, a racoon-riding Scotsman- the truth is that the mind is the limit. And so there is no limit. The resulting illustrations become part of the artist’s Sky Art series.
Project info :
Project: Sky Art series
Artist: Thomas Lamadieu
all images courtesy of Thomas Lamadieu
Matt Davis is a Virginia Tech graduate and one of the founding editors behind Arch2O. Launching the platform in mid‑2012 alongside fellow Hokies, he helped shape its identity as an international hub for design innovation and critical dialogue . With a foundation in architectural education and a passion for uncovering unconventional design approaches, Matt has contributed significantly—both editorially and strategically—to Arch2O’s growth, ensuring that emerging architects, academics, and creatives have a space to question, explore, and elevate the built environment.