Bio — Luke Silva

A Central St Martin’s School of Art alum, Luke 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.

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, 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.

Education

2018-21 BA (Hons) Fine Art, Central St Martin’s School of Art, London (UAL)

2017-18 Foundation Diploma, Central St Martin’s School of Art, London (UAL)

Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions

April 2024 ‘Interface’, Sherbet Green, London

Nov 2023 ‘Manifest’, Sixty Six, London

Sept 2023 ‘You Don’t Invite 13 to Dinner’, Dialogue Gallery, Lisbon

June 2023 ‘Smoke Damaged Door’, Gerber Stauffer Fine Arts, Zurich

June 2022 ‘Ashes Denote That Fire Was’, Fortnight Gallery, NYC

April 2022 ‘What Now?’, PM/AM Gallery, London

Feb 2022 ‘HELL/O ARCADIA?’, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Los Angeles

Feb 2022 ‘Love in the Devil’, Marlborough Gallery, London