Gerber Stauffer Rhodes is thrilled to announce 'Smoke Damaged Door', a solo exhibition featuring the work of Luke Silva. A Central St Martin's School of Art alum, Silva has masterfully reimagined the classic medium of watercolour, on both paper and canvas, with techniques which are stylistically his own, creating a unique, very personal artistic language.
Luke Silva's journey, marked by profound challenges and experiences in his childhood and youth, serves as the foundation of his work. His art is a sanctuary, a constructed realm that offers solace from the turbulence of the real world. Yet, these spaces are not entirely detached from reality, as they are tethered by tangible objects and recognisable landscapes, reminders of the world outside.
His artistic narrative is a complex interplay of devastation and allure. He revisits the theme of a catastrophic fire whose real-life equivalent had an enormous impact on the artist's family - a powerful natural force that, despite its destructive capacity, is portrayed with a sense of fascination. This motif is a symbol of the dual nature of such events, embodying both the potential for destruction and the promise of renewal.
Silva's Object Paintings series offers a profound exploration of human vulnerability. He portrays ceramic objects that, while aesthetically pleasing and emotionally stirring, are essentially hollow and brittle. They are vessels, often devoid of practical use. These artworks serve as metaphors for the human state, particularly in the context of mental health struggles - outwardly attractive and engaging, yet internally fragile and, at times, meaningless; empty.
Luke Silva (b. 1999, London, UK) divides his time between London and Margate. He completed his BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Central St Martin's School of Art, London in 2021.
