James Reka (Reka One) grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and divides his time between Berlin and Malta. In his works, vivid abstraction meets creatures influenced by pop culture, cartoons, and illustration. Sharp lines and bold colors, geometry, and the dynamics of graffiti are interwoven in his unique aesthetic. Reka’s public paintings can be found on four continents, and he has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows all over the world. His works have been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia for their permanent collection.

James Reka’s wall-mounted installation Riders of the Storm (2017) is part of an ongoing project he started in abandoned industrial buildings and Soviet military bases. At these sites, he found painting materials such as empty spray cans and paint tins – tools that had already been used by others to create art. He decided to turn these discarded objects into works of art in their own right.

On loan courtesy of the Gewobag collection.