What distinguishes Martin Lukac’s painting practice is the repetition of motifs, understood both figuratively—as characters, symbols, or recurring configurations—and formally, through the use of bright colors and deliberately rough, sketch-like drawing. Repetition is never purely decorative; it becomes an investigative tool. Lukáč revisits the same image until its possibilities are exhausted, challenging the very notion of the uniqueness of the painterly gesture.
With the work Rat Race, the artist introduces for the first time the motif of the rat/mouse, which would become a recurring element in his production. The composition features a sequence of stylized yellow mice arranged one after another; of the first, only the tail is visible, as if the line continues beyond the edges of the canvas. The intense red background amplifies the presence of the figures, making them stand out and contributing to an immediate visual tension.
The line work and application of color appear simplified and essential, almost childlike, evoking a spontaneous, unrefined aesthetic. This choice is not incidental but rooted in a childhood memory: during his elementary school years, Lukac recalls racing a classmate to redraw, as quickly as possible, the figure of a small mouse printed on the covers of notebooks. This episode represents one of his earliest encounters with drawing and the creative act itself.
The mouse motif also carries references to popular visual culture, particularly the character Master Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, helping to construct the hybrid iconographic universe—between personal memory and collective imagination—that characterizes Lukac’s work. Over time, this figure takes on almost the role of the artist’s alter ego, an identifying mark capable of traversing and unifying different phases of his artistic research.
In Rat Race, however, the motif also acquires an explicitly metaphorical dimension. The expression “rat race” refers to the frenetic pace of contemporary life, dominated by competition, productivity, and the relentless pursuit of success and wealth. The mice, arranged in a potentially endless sequence, evoke continuous, mechanical movement. Their nature, associated with survival and adaptability, thus becomes a mirror of the human condition within the capitalist system, transforming the image into a critical reflection on contemporary social dynamics.
Martin Lukac, Rat Race, 2020
oil on canvas, 300×200 cm
Courtesy of Martin Lukac, private collection.
21/03/2026
