Vojtěch Luksch blends violent retro video games with the “grandma-core” of embroidered canvases

The artist Vojtěch Luksch currently lives and works in a tiny village Czech Republic. A graduate of masters in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts Brno, Vojtěch is somewhat elusive on his Instagram account. The largely faceless artist posts incredible paintings of videogames translated onto embroidered canvases, creating a brilliant 3D texture that compliments the heavy pixel art of iconic violent games such as Doom and Wolfenstein. Inspired by landscape painting, Vojtěch began painting a series of works surrounding the liminal, early digital landscapes from the Grand Theft Auto series, which he surprisingly found recalled 19th century modernist paintings. “This inter-connectedness and references represent a certain form of reborn romanticism, referring through elements of escapism and nostalgia to the landscapes of virtual space” says Vojtěch.

Vojtěch evolved this style as he moved towards what he calls “embroidered pictures”, using the idyllic aesthetic of cross stitch – a contemplative textile process – then “completely disrupting the peaceful environment” with shocking images, the kind that outraged parents in the 90s heyday of violent media skepticism. “For me, the result image is some kind of nostalgic screenshot that blends the childhood I spent in a games with some grandma-core vibes,” says Vojtěch. His work expounds on the idea of a generational clash – the youthful, vulgar imagery of shotguns, monsters, an electrocuted Jesus and pitchfork bludgeonings, with the calmness of regimented, inoffensive embroidered canvases. “It’s necessary for me to use existing embroidery that has a story, was created somewhere in the past, faded, sometimes discolored, unwanted,” adds Vojtěch.

Recently, Vojtěch has found correspondence between his home and his emerging art style, using leftover materials he finds – such as wooden and metal frames – to build interesting new canvases. “It reflects my DIY ordinary life in the village. Living in a house that used to be an old farm, I find various materials that I use to bring my favourite game icons into the physical world,” says Vojtěch. There’s something surprisingly tender in these paintings, even though they may represent sinister scenes that recall the eeriness of late night gaming. Exploring strange digital worlds with only a lighter and a low health bar – Vojtěch’s translation of the digital fiction into analog fact is what kid’s dreams are made of.