Czech artist Vojtěch Luksch has gained international attention for his unique artistic approach that combines the brutal imagery of classic violent video games with the gentle, traditional craft of embroidered canvas work. Currently living and working in a small village in the Czech Republic, the painter creates what he describes as "3D pixels" using embroidered textures that transform the chaotic visuals of iconic games like Doom and Wolfenstein into unexpected works of art.
Luksch, a graduate with a master's degree in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts Brno, maintains a deliberately low profile on social media, preferring to let his work speak for itself. His paintings translate pixelated video game scenes onto embroidered canvases, creating a striking three-dimensional texture that perfectly complements the heavy pixel art aesthetic of violent gaming classics. The artist describes his process as creating "embroidered pictures" that use the peaceful, contemplative nature of cross-stitch work while completely disrupting that tranquil environment with shocking imagery that once outraged parents during the 1990s heyday of violent media controversy.
The inspiration for this distinctive style began with landscape painting, as Luksch started creating a series of works focused on the liminal, early digital landscapes from the Grand Theft Auto video game series. Surprisingly, he found these virtual environments recalled 19th-century modernist paintings, discovering an unexpected interconnectedness between digital and traditional art forms. "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," Luksch explains.
"For me, the result image is some kind of nostalgic screenshot that blends the childhood I spent in games with some grandma-core vibes," the artist says, describing how his work explores the concept of generational clash. His pieces juxtapose youthful, vulgar imagery featuring shotguns, monsters, an electrocuted Jesus, and pitchfork attacks against the calm, orderly nature of traditional embroidered canvases. This deliberate contrast creates a unique artistic tension that challenges viewers' expectations.
Authenticity plays a crucial role in Luksch's creative process, as he exclusively uses pre-existing embroidered materials with their own histories. "It's necessary for me to use existing embroidery that has a story, was created somewhere in the past, faded, sometimes discolored, unwanted," he explains. This approach adds layers of meaning to each piece, incorporating the unknown stories of previous needleworkers into his contemporary gaming narratives.
Recently, the artist has found inspiration in his immediate surroundings, incorporating found materials from his rural environment into his artistic practice. Living in a converted farmhouse, Luksch discovers various leftover materials such as wooden and metal frames that he repurposes to create interesting new canvases for his work. "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 favorite game icons into the physical world," he says.
Despite depicting sinister scenes that evoke the eerie atmosphere of late-night gaming sessions, Luksch's paintings possess a surprisingly tender quality. His work captures the essence of exploring strange digital worlds with minimal resources – perhaps just a lighter and a dangerously low health bar – translating these digital fiction experiences into analog reality. The artist's portfolio includes works with titles like "Let's Gore, Kill 'em All," "Final Countdown," "Field Crawler," and "Chainsaw Gutsfuck," each representing different aspects of classic gaming culture.
Luksch's artistic practice represents a broader cultural phenomenon of nostalgia for early digital experiences, particularly the formative gaming moments of the 1990s and early 2000s. By combining the meditative, traditional craft of embroidery with the aggressive imagery of vintage video games, he creates a unique commentary on the intersection of technology, memory, and artistic expression. His work transforms what he calls the "kitschy chaos" of games like Doom into something unexpectedly beautiful and contemplative, bridging generational and cultural divides through the universal language of nostalgia.
