Luke Batha
Luke Batha was born in 1984 in Johannesburg. Batha is the son of the late, Vienna born painter Gerhard Batha, from whom he derived his subject matter: interpersonal visual dramas, and an eye for complex landscapes. But Luke’s Batha’s landscapes and portraits internalize the human experience as a series of fleeting moments that are captured in their uncomfortable, almost abstract essence. Having worked under Stephan Erasmus, ABSA collection curator, and with his early exposure to art, Batha brings an emotional maturity to his subject matter that reveals a real knowledge of the history of art.
About his process, Batha has said, “From an early age I was privileged to have been taken to art museums and galleries throughout Europe and North America. I drew and painted for 20 years, developing my love of figurative Expressionism, favouring artists like Baselitz, Lupertz, Gerstl, Boeckel, De Kooning and more. Painting is a compulsion of mine, yet I find that I am battling with myself all the time.”