Attila Richard Lukacs
Encyclopedia
Attila Richard Lukacs is a Canadian
artist.
in Vancouver, British Columbia and is a member of the loosely defined category of 'Young Romantics'. He moved to Berlin
in 1986, working at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien Berlin. In 1996, he relocated to New York City
in order to be closer to the center of American art. After a difficult battle with drug use, Lukacs left New York City in 2001 to recover in Hawaii
.
Although Lukacs is best known for paintings that depict exaggerated masculine
figures, such as gay skinheads and military cadets (Military Series True North), he has also created a collection of paintings of flowers (Flowers) and trees (Arbor Vitae). His brutally explicit references to homo-erotic sexuality often shocked galleries and the public. His paintings frequently reference the historical compositions and themes of David
and Caravaggio
as well as the compositional devices of the miniature painters and illustrators of India (Of Monkeys and Men) and the Middle East. A more recent series of paintings depict conifer trees, dramatically painted in tar
on a silver
leaf field. The artist now lives in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
Some of his works are part of the Elton John
Collection.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
artist.
Biography
In 1985, Lukacs graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and DesignEmily Carr Institute of Art and Design
Emily Carr University of Art and Design is a public post-secondary University located on Granville Island in Vancouver, BC, Canada...
in Vancouver, British Columbia and is a member of the loosely defined category of 'Young Romantics'. He moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1986, working at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien Berlin. In 1996, he relocated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in order to be closer to the center of American art. After a difficult battle with drug use, Lukacs left New York City in 2001 to recover in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Although Lukacs is best known for paintings that depict exaggerated masculine
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
figures, such as gay skinheads and military cadets (Military Series True North), he has also created a collection of paintings of flowers (Flowers) and trees (Arbor Vitae). His brutally explicit references to homo-erotic sexuality often shocked galleries and the public. His paintings frequently reference the historical compositions and themes of David
Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David was an influential French painter in the Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era...
and Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
as well as the compositional devices of the miniature painters and illustrators of India (Of Monkeys and Men) and the Middle East. A more recent series of paintings depict conifer trees, dramatically painted in tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
on a silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
leaf field. The artist now lives in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Some of his works are part of the Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
Collection.
Exhibitions
- 1988-1994 Selected Works
- 1990 Military Series
- 1991 True North
- 1992 Eternal Teahouse
- 1999 Arbor Vitae
- 2003 Of Monkeys and Men
- 2009 "Polaroids: Attila Richard Lukacs and Michael Morris", Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton,AB.
Film and Video
- Drawing Out the Demons [videorecording DVD]: A Film About the Artist Attila Richard Lukacs. Directed by David Vaisbord. 2004, Two versions: 48 minutes and 78 minutes, color. Produced by Trish Dolman and Stephanie Symns, Screen Siren Pictures.