Luca Soulos was born in a small town on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island in 1968 to a New Zealand mother & Greek Australian father, both of large families. His childhood was shaped by a rich environment of contrast, colour, nature, open space & movement - stretching beaches, ocean, waves, rivers, fields & mountains to run wild & free.
Earning an early Diploma & formal arts training at the Wellington institute of Fashion & Design in his late teens began a series of world traveling adventures & painting that finally led to later developing successful Snowboard Outerwear & Skate brands with a partner through the 90’s further stimulating his freedom of creativity & artistic spirit. A life of art, traveling the globe, freestyle sports, people & expression resulted, building a vibrant, positive character, open mind & packed trail of history.
Home is now Ibiza, Spain where he is currently living & painting, but over the last three decades besides NZ, much time had also been spent in Maui Hawaii, Australia, traveling in South America then living in Bali Indonesia as a second home & to explore more of Asia.
Walking into the unknown, to Luca, is mixed with a passionate appreciation for living. This is constantly growing & shining through his unique artworks.
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Luca Soulos — known simply as ‘Soulos’ — a New Zealand-born, Ibiza-based painter whose emotionally charged, boldly expressive works have just been added to the roster at VFA Gallery, Soho, New York, alongside icons such as Warhol, Haring, and Murakami.
Soulos’s work is a vibrant fusion of surrealism, expressionism, and figurative storytelling, focused on the feminine spirit, emotional states, and sensuality through raw brushwork and bold Mediterranean colour. He often paints live with musicians, capturing fleeting moods in real time, making his process as compelling as the end result.
From his early roots in the quiet landscapes of New Zealand to the pulsing atmosphere of Ibiza, where he now lives and creates, Soulos brings a unique international lens to contemporary figurative painting. His work has appeared in exhibitions across Europe and now in the U.S., and has been featured in art books and magazines.
His recent representation by VFA Gallery in Soho marks a significant moment — introducing his rich, soulful style to New York collectors and curators.
vfagallery.com
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"I sketch interpretations of thoughts, I'm compelled to at times before they are lost, as a plan for painting, waiting for the moment to continue in colour and size.
For some works however, the outcome is completely random, I pick up a colour pastel or paint & brush that feels right and start drawing or painting, with no idea what will be created. Sometimes it’s relaxed, others a frenzy.
In full swing, I seem drawn to certain colours from whatever assortment I have on hand. My brush or fingers work paint or pastel into the canvas and blend where it feels needed. The sensation is a flow, feeling natural - I love it. I’m often unable to stop until the piece is finished, no matter how long that may be. At the end, even if exhausted, I like to sit back and just look in pleasure, rediscovering the image,
triggering thoughts of what each element and layer means. It seems like a gift and a freedom."
"I use different materials such as acrylic currently, watercolour, soft pastel and ink, I’ve been using soft pastels for over 25 years. It was one of the ‘finds’ of my life. Unlocking a way to release vivid colour, thoughts and emotions fast enough to feel the connection which helped to shape my painting style.
Watercolour has been another alternative evolution in flow with water & paint flooding blends of life into images.
Works are scattered throughout the world. It's not possible to repeat a piece, nor would I know where it started or finished.
I hope you take a long look, read into each picture, perhaps find something that bonds with your own feelings and mystery of life... and most importantly enjoy."
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