Lukas Lykke

Lukas Lykke’s paintings most often feature elements of nature in dialogue with human figures, who either stand alone or exist in relation to one another. Natural elements such as the sea, trees, mountains, and the sky become metaphors for the figures’ emotional states and inner lives.

The green leaves of a tree may become the color of the face of someone consumed by jealousy, while another glows like the evening sun in the presence of a dear friend.

Lykke (b. 1997) thinks of his paintings as water or clouds—fleeting, ever-changing, and in constant motion; something that can evoke a distant memory, a mood, a dream, or a sense of mystery.

Through his work, he seeks to reveal that many aspects of ourselves and the world we share remain beyond our conscious understanding—things we are constantly trying to control or explain.

As he puts it:

“Sometimes I believe that we don’t always need to find the answer to everything we don’t understand. That place creates room for imagination, pain, love, and laughter.”