“FOR ME as an artist, it’s important to always let people discover something so it’s never completely the same,” explained Pablo Lücker in his studio in Amsterdam. It’s clear that he takes this ideal very seriously as you look around the room, noticing that the walls have different versions of his art hanging from them; from huge canvases to smaller portraits, and figurine statues to gold-plated miniature motifs.
Though all varying in method, size and material, it is clear the Dutch artist has created his own visual landscape with his now-synonymous dream script iconography, awarding him with global recognition but now, more notably, the honour of designing the 2022 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix trophy.
Upon going into depth of his life story, it is easy to understand how he ended up with a paintbrush in his hand. Born into a family of artists and named after the late Pablo Picasso, the seven-generation creative was able to draw before he could write, picking up colouring pencils from the mere age of three-years-old. “As a young kid, I had a lot of fantasies in my head and drawing was a way for me to become calm and a place for all my ideas”.
Fascinated with the world around him, he became particularly drawn to his father’s classic car – another passion that has maintained the same type of resonation throughout the years. “In my career I have combined these two,” says the artist. “I always try to do something new, it’s not a creative challenge for me otherwise. My last art car project was a Lamborghini which I combined with an NFT. When I was talking to my brother [his business partner], I said ‘what’s next’, he said ‘maybe Formula One’”. Shaking off this suggestion due to the sheer enormity of this dream, what came next would certainly make anyone believe in luck.
“I also believe in the importance as artists to speak about your dreams and to envision where you want to go in the future,” he begins. “One time I met a driver and I explained to him a little about my art and how it would be amazing one day to create something for Formula One. I had seen abroad that similar things had been done for the awards, helping it become more reachable to other generations. He then got asked whether he knew anyone who would be interested in doing a project and he dropped my name”.
The project in question was to design the trophy for the Heineken Dutch Grand Prix earlier this month, not only the biggest sporting event in The Netherlands but also Lücker’s home country. Not fazed by the pressure, the artist began by going to see the stage of this racing spectacle, Zandvoort. “I started by going to the circuit to see everything around there to get the feeling and then to start drawing, laying out a story,” he expresses. “It is important to add something positive to the world, it has to be something that is cheerful – this is a happy celebration”.
“The thing that was very difficult was the shape, it is very complex technically,” explained Lücker when I asked what was the main challenge he faced creating something so bold for an object that delicate. Though the trophy’s many angles and sides may have caused him a few initial issues, the result was a charismatic piece of design that highlighted both the race and its Dutch heritage, but also echoed the colour scheme of the race’s sponsor, Heineken, with the rich hues of green.
Before the race, I asked Lücker who he would like to see lift his trophy – naturally, he stated Max Verstappen. And, just like the luck the artist stumbled on, the Dutch racer lifted the Heineken trophy after leading the way for 72 laps.
With celebratory beers all round, just before I leave him, I tap one last time into his philosophy of manifestation and ponder to him what’s next. “I would like to paint on the rocket of Elon Musk or send my art to space – one of the two”.
by Imogen Clark
For more information on the Heineken Dutch Grand Prix, click here