Beyond the Real, Into the Soul. Interview With Contemporary Realist Painter Lukas Priecko
The Slovakian painter translates memory and time into suspended images
Tell us what you do and your beginnings.
I am a contemporary realist painter working primarily with oil and graphite. My paintings explore the duality between the physical state of reality and our inner space, the unconscious, memory, and the fragile perception of existence.
Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by reality itself, by the simple yet impossible question of how everything around us even exists, and how we each interpret it in our own way. That sense of awe has never left me; it became the foundation of my artwork.
Later, while studying industrial design, I deepened my skills in observation and realistic drawing. From the beginning, realism felt like the most natural way for me to communicate. I experimented with different styles, but they always felt like trying to speak in a foreign language.
Realism, with all its imperfections and possibilities, became my authentic voice. It allows me to communicate emotions and ideas in the most honest way I know. Over time, my focus has shifted from pure precision to atmosphere, depth, and the contemplative space that lies beyond the visible surface.
What does your work aim to say?
My work speaks through duality. On one hand, I use the precise language of realism, an attempt to capture the physical state of things, the awe of reality itself. On the other hand, I’m interested in what lies beyond the visible, our inner space, the unconscious, the shifting states of mind that shape how we perceive existence.
For me, a painting is not simply about reproducing what is in front of me, but about creating a space where these two dimensions overlap, the tangible and the intangible, the ordinary and the profound. Even though my paintings may appear realistic, they are in essence abstract: stripped of narrative, emptied of event, they offer instead a quiet place for reflection.
What I aim to say is not a fixed message, but an invitation: to pause, to contemplate, to notice how reality and inner reality coexist in fragile balance.
I translate this duality into my work through the coexistence of paradoxes. Old architecture standing beside modern features, traces of decay revealing the passage of time, romantic light in contrast to harsh, raw environment, and so on.
These details carry a subtle nostalgia, reminding us that reality is never fixed but layered, shifting, fragile. By observing these juxtapositions, I invite the viewer to contemplate their own perception of existence, how past and present, material and mental, constantly intertwine.
Where do you find inspiration for your art?
I usually find inspiration in my own surroundings, in overlooked corners, in the traces of time on architecture, and in the ordinary details of daily life. These fragments interest me because they leave space for contemplation. They are not about telling a clear story, but about holding a question, an atmosphere, or a feeling that cannot be fully explained.
The bittersweet reality of everyday life is an endless source of inspiration. I seek out ordinary scenes and objects that, in some way, reflect my inner state, my thoughts, and my perception of the world. What might seem mundane on the surface often carries multiple layers of meaning for me, sometimes even paradoxes.
I’m drawn to scenes that quietly speak about something deeper: tension, stillness, vulnerability, or contradiction, and through painting, I try to bring those hidden dimensions to the surface.
I love wandering through cities with no destination in mind. Observing people, architecture, and unexpected details that often spark new ideas. These small, unplanned experiences often find their way into my work.
Sometimes it’s just a walk through the neighborhood, sometimes it’s a journey abroad, but the principle is the same: inspiration comes from direct experience.
A fleeting atmosphere, the way light falls on a wall, or the silent passage of time marked on a building can all open up that space of reflection I aim to capture.
I’m not drawn to polished or overly perfect things. What inspires me are raw, simple, often incomplete subjects, moments, or places that resist clear interpretation. I look for scenes that carry a vague, uncertain idea rather than a fully defined statement, because that mirrors how I see reality itself, never absolute, always layered and ambiguous.
Could you give us some insight into your creative process?
When I find inspiration, a subject that I feel can translate my intention, I begin by gathering reference material: photographs, sketches, drawings. Then I often set it aside, sometimes even for a year or more. My paintings take a long time to create, so I must be certain about the subject and the composition before I even approach the canvas.
Giving the idea time is crucial; it allows me to return to it with fresh eyes and test whether it still holds its power. If the subject continues to resonate, if I feel it has enough strength to carry a painting, I then choose the scale, prepare the surface, and finally begin the work.
From there, the process becomes a balance between careful planning and the unpredictability of painting itself, a dialogue between control and accident, where each step pushes the painting toward its final form. My process is both carefully planned and open to accident; the medium resists control, colors shift, textures surprise, and accidents happen.
I’m always looking for a balance between control and chance, between order and spontaneity. A rag, a palette knife, or even a slip of the brush can completely shift the mood of a work. Every painting teaches me something new, not only technically, but also about patience, perception, and my own state of mind.
For me, the process is less about “finishing” a painting and more about letting it reach a point where reality and abstraction coexist, where the work feels alive but still leaves space for uncertainty and reflection.
What are your future projects?
My future projects are less about specific subjects and more about continuing the dialogue I have with reality, its fragility, contradictions, and hidden layers. I want to keep exploring how painting can hold both clarity and ambiguity at once.
At the same time, I already have several paintings in mind that I’m preparing to work on, each of them carrying this same search for balance between the visible and the hidden.
Interview by Fabio Pariante, X • Instagram • Website