Allegiance by Luke Wilson is the artist’s personal tribute to his country. He views the American flag as an iconic emblem of national pride. Wilson pays artistic homage to America’s proud strength and resiliency by creating a symbolic rendition of the flag that appears aged and weathered by history, but not damaged or torn in the process. Recognizable fragments of documents like the Constitution and the Bill of Rights appear to be woven into the very fabric of the red, white, and blue. This is a visual connection to the words that have come to define a special way of life. “As I have gotten older I find that I have a simple and strong sense of pride in my country,” Wilson explains, “this has inspired me to create Allegiance to symbolize the strength of our diversity, our shared connection to this country’s history, and the triumph of the American spirit over all challenges.”
Flag print mounted on canvas with a gel textured finish, canvas has black edges.
Luke Wilson was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1980. His parents worked hard to support a large family, and there were times that life was a struggle. Wilson was never in trouble, but his parents were strict with their youngest son, even as he began to follow a creative path that they did not approve of, or understand. He did not choose athletics, like his siblings, but rather choose to befriend neighborhood street artists and poets. Wilson showed promise with natural drawing skills and eventually began taking formal art classes after high school. He also wrote poetry, and performed original songs. Wilson received praise for his work in art school displaying talent in many mediums and subjects. Still, he struggled with the formality of art education and eventually dropped out. This began a long journey of discovery while traveling in Europe, Latin America, and the western United States.
Wilson worked at many different kinds of jobs to support his travels, but he also continued to create art and write poetry. He moved away from painting, and began to create mixed media originals that were collages made from found objects combined with painted designs. He sold some of his work, gave some away, and sometimes just left the piece as a personal commentary on his time in a particular locale. Wilson’s long sojourn eventually landed him back in New York, where he returned as a more mature artist. He continued to create his mixed media sculptures and he also began to paint again.
Luke Wilson is forever grounded and defined by the cities in which he has lived and worked. His artistic inspiration always comes from where he is, or where he has been. Some of his work can be described as a kind of urban visual poetry that captures a city using word