Fluidity of Identity, and the Fall of a Country

Lukas Mouka

To understand Lukas, you first have to understand movement. He was born in a country that no longer exists—Czechoslovakia—only to escape it before he could even form a memory of home. His family, seeking freedom from a communist regime, packed their lives into a car under the guise of a vacation and never returned. First Austria, then Canada—a new world, a new language, a new identity before he could fully grasp the old one.

Now, as an artist, Lukas still moves. He has traveled across continents, searching, observing, absorbing. That restlessness fuels his work, but so does the quiet longing for something constant. Perhaps this is why his art often captures fleeting moments, suspended in time, yet teeming with motion. Faces emerge from the brushstrokes as if caught mid-thought, figures overlap in an embrace, shifting between intimacy and distance. His paintings breathe. "I’ve always been an artist," he says. "Even when I tried other things, nothing felt like it fit. Nothing allowed me to exist as fully as making art does."

For a while, he entertained other paths—studying animation, working within the industry. But the structure felt limiting, a compartmentalization of creativity that never quite made sense to him. The idea of separating work from passion was alien. Why live a life divided.

The Art of Process

Lukas’ approach to painting is much like his approach to life—open-ended, spontaneous, and deeply instinctual. He begins with a loose idea, a feeling, and lets the canvas guide him. His work is raw yet refined, allowing for the unexpected.

"It’s about being present in the act of creating. Sometimes, I step away, come back with fresh eyes, and sometimes completely changes direction. I don’t believe in locking myself into an idea if something more powerful emerges. Creativity is freedom." - Lukas Mouka

This openness extends to his choice of materials. While he started with traditional oil paintings, recent works have incorporated collage, tearing into the static nature of the medium, introducing elements of unpredictability. His piece “Lovers” is a prime example—a chaotic yet harmonious tapestry of figures, symbols, and layered meaning. The masculine and feminine intertwine, both in conflict and unity. War, love, faith, desires, human history—all condensed into a singular image that refuses to settle into a neat interpretation.

A Dialogue with Time

If there’s one recurring theme in Lukas’ work, it’s the fluidity of identity and time. His paintings often feel like double exposures—figures shifting, evolving, dissolving. "Time is something we’re always trying to grasp," he says. "But it’s constantly acting upon us. I try to capture that."

"I think any work of art, no matter what it depicts, is ultimately a self-portrait. It’s a reflection of who you are at that moment in time. When I look at my older paintings, I see exactly where I was—mentally, emotionally, spiritually. It’s like a journal, except the words are color and form." - Lukas Mouka

Breaking and Rebuilding

Recently, Lukas has taken a new approach to his work, moving away from the singular influence of artists like Francis Bacon, whom he once studied obsessively. While Bacon’s rawness and emotional brutality left a mark, Lukas has carved his own path, one that is perhaps warmer, more intimate. "There’s a bleakness in Bacon’s work that I once connected with," he admits. "But I don’t see the world in such stark terms anymore. I think art should leave room for change, for contradiction. That’s where truth lies."

Instead of rigid philosophies, he finds inspiration in movement—both in the act of painting and in observing the world. He describes contemporary art as an open field, free from the limitations of past eras. There are no rules, only possibilities.

"Some days, I look at a piece of art and think, ‘I wish I knew what it felt like to have made that.’ That’s what keeps me pushing forward. The desire to create something that stirs people, that makes them stop and feel." - Lukas Mouka

The Future of Lukas’ Work

With an exhibition in Toronto approaching, March 20th, 2025. His work, once deeply personal, is now stepping into a wider conversation. He speaks of wanting to explore larger themes—war, memory, human nature—without losing the intimacy that makes his paintings resonate. Whether through paint, collage, or whatever medium finds him next, one thing is clear: Lukas isn’t standing still. His art, like his life, is in constant motion—seeking, shifting, evolving. And in that movement, there is meaning.