Lukáš Rais

Lukáš Rais was born on 15 May 1975 in Sokolov. He came to art at the age of 25, after travelling in Mexico. He studied at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in Professor Jiří Beránek’s sculpture studio, with consultations from Kurt Gebauer and Krištof Kintera.

Rais’s work has been described as “industrial poetics”. His basic materials are black forged iron and stainless steel, above all industrial pipe fittings, which he turns into monumental sculptures and objects for public space. Thanks to his technical education he can make precise calculations before welding so that the works withstand changes in temperature.

His works in public space include the sculpture “Tree” in the courtyard of the Klementinum in Prague (2006, Rector’s Prize of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design), “Llamas” in the Botanical Garden in Prague-Troja (2007) and the large “Barrandov Relief” (2022). He has been nominated twice for the Czech Grand Design award.

Besides sculpture he works in design and theatre — he is a founding member of the theatre group Divadlo Cože?, with which he has performed regularly at the Akropolis Palace since 2009.