Expressing commentary on complex social issues has been Luba Lukova’s career-long focus because of her firmly held belief that art is central to human existence and that morality and creativity are aligned.
In 2017 Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) presented the exhibition Luba Lukova: Designing Justice featuring the artist’s social commentary prints and posters. Loved by audiences and critics, the exhibition embarked on a tour to galleries and museums throughout the U.S. and internationally including Jewish Museum Milwaukee; Restoration Plaza, Brooklyn, NY; Zarrow Art Center, Tulsa, OK; Phebe Conley Art Gallery, Fresno, CA; Krannert Fine Arts Center, Anderson, IN; Museum of the City of Riobamba, Ecuador; The Thermos Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan; and Slup Szymon Poster Gallery, Szczecin, Poland.
Included in the exhibition are the iconic posters from Lukova’s Social Justice portfolio addressing themes such as peace, censorship, immigration, ecology, hunger and corruption. Published in 2008, the series was shown in the prestigious art exhibition at the first inauguration of President Obama in Washington D.C. More than a decade since its publication, the series is as relevant as ever and the artist continues to create new social commentary work. In her words, she has “plenty of topics to tackle in the future.”
What makes Lukova’s work resonate with people from so many different places and perspectives is her instinctive ability to capture the very essence of an idea and convey it in a way that transcends language and culture. When you view a Lukova image, you “see” her approach to visual problem solving and expression. Rarely using written
text to communicate a message, she prefers to tap understanding with bold, succinct symbols and visual metaphors, which communicate universal truths about desire, fear, creation, hope, and man’s endless capacity for love and hate.
Art © Luba Lukova
www.lukova.net
