Lukas / Drysdale

Artist Statement

Throughout my life, I have struggled with overstimulation from various senses such as noise, touch, sight, etc. As I’ve gotten older I have begun to learn to live with it, though it is still ever present in my life and how I process the environment around me. My work explores my experiences with overstimulation and how this affects the way I move through life. The overstimulation in my life is one of the causes of my fear of being unprepared, causing me to carry everything around with me that I’ve deemed a necessity. In order to dig deeper into my thesis I began to pose questions that each piece and my overall body of work strives to answer. I asked myself how I could visually represent what it feels like to be overstimulated, but first I had to understand how it felt. I found this to be especially difficult as I have a lot of trouble with communicating this.
I’ve always had an interest in the body, the way it works, and the way it looks. I was strictly a figure painter for a while, but this soon felt limiting and I tried my best to get as far away from the figure as possible. I then found myself confined within yet another box. My work became much more abstracted as two-dimensional repetitive geometric shapes turned into sculptures and installations. I pushed myself to create work that was not “too on the nose” but soon found my work getting a bit away from me. My use of garments allows me to discuss the figure within my work, while simultaneously including a form of interactivity.
I often have many small, tediously, and meticulously made pieces that work together to create the larger whole. The idea of buildup, and many into one, is fundamental in my process and practice. Creating larger pieces allows me to break away from stationary artmaking, and make room for the pieces to change, move around, and stay alive. There is power in being able to hold an object in hand and experience it from all angles. Bringing people in to interact with the piece, whether it be to wear it, alter it, or play with it, allows me to better communicate with the viewer.
I use a variety of media to help to express my complex relationship with overstimulation. I am drawn to ceramics, printmaking, and fibers. I like to contrast my pieces with hard materials such as ceramics and softer materials like yarn or fabric, which often contradict the piece's intention or purpose. I frequently reuse materials and motifs, allowing my pieces to build off each other. I create work that is taking one and making it many. I use metaphors relative to my life to generalize these experiences to the viewer. I have used many metaphors like squares, bowls, bowling pins, and barnacles to create systems and repetitive patterns.

Biography

Lukas spent most of his formative years in Naples, Florida, but was born in London and has dual citizenship of the US and UK. He will be attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) beginning in September 2024, after graduating with high honors from Interlochen Arts Academy (IAA) in May 2024. While at IAA, he received the Young Artist Award, one of the highest honors awarded at Interlochen. In 2023, he attended the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Pre-College and was awarded their selective Pre-College scholarship. He has received three regional gold keys in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition, as well as several silver keys and honorable mentions. Aside from awards, Lukas has worked to curate, install, and open several exhibitions featuring his work. In 2021 he was chosen to be a juror for a juried gallery show. He was honored to work with museum curator Elaine Gurian four times and with James Volkert twice. During these collaborations, each time he had one week to design and open an interactive exhibition surrounding a central theme, while focusing on the accessibility of the space. His work has been exhibited in the David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, NY, and also in Michigan and Maryland. His piece, “Repeat, Repeat, Repeat” is currently installed and on display at the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City, Michigan until mid-August 2024. In May 2024, his thesis show, a culmination of his work over the past 3 years, opened with live models to display his garments and a live jazz band for the opening reception. Going forward, he will continue to display his work, while simultaneously working on new projects.

The Destruction of a Boat, 2024, Ceramic and wire, 34in x 34in x 60in