User:Aizzytaz/sandbox

Lokie Jokie

Lokie Jokie, also known as LokieJokie, is a pseudonymous for post-modern freelance artist, activist and director whose real name and identity persist to elude the general public, and is the focus of ongoing conjecture. Active approximately from 2010 onwards, his sarcastic and often dark art style infuse strong messages of the current social environment, including politics, celebrity, and activism. His work is known for a distinctive ‘chaotic’ use of painting techniques, favouring oil and ink materials, often on linen backing. Much of the work produced by Lokie Jokie has been distributed for free through his social media Instagram account as NFTs, also known as non-fungible tokens, or displayed in public, allowing onlookers to simply take his work with them without charge. Whilst the identify of Lokie Jokie remains a mystery, he is active on social media and often shares updates of his works or travels to his large following.

Identity

Lokie Jokie’s name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. There is a wide belief that the artist is either a French or Australian natural, based on multiple social media posts which appear to have the artist himself, with his face partially covered, frequenting either Paris, France or Adelaide, Australia. In 2021 the official Instagram of Lokie Jokie began to post images of a male showing his face in full, which have continued to be posted sporadically, causing speculation that the true face of the artist has finally been revealed. On February 14, 2022, the official Instagram posted a portrait, titled ‘self-portrait’, seemingly confirming that the sporadic posts of the unidentified male on his Instagram account was indeed Lokie Jokie, as the painted self-portrait matched all images of the male person being posted.

An alternative theory is that the artist himself is playing a prank on his followers and onlookers, and that the sporadic posts of the male are either a friend or relative of the artist, and the self-portrait painted is in fact an amalgamation of the previous social media posts of the unidentified male. What is widely agreed however, based on the writing style, social media posts showing his body only, and confirmed fan interactions through social media, that Lokie Jokie is between 20 and 30 years of age, likely naturally tanned in complexion, and approximately between five feet ten and six feet tall.

Although the social media posts continue to cause social commentary and speculation, Lokie Jokie has not publicly confirmed or revealed his identity, age, or real name.

Technique

Because of the secretive nature of Lokie Jokie’s work and identity, it is uncertain what techniques he uses to generate the images in much of the work he creates, though it is assumed he uses a balanced combination of oil paints and inks for the majority of his works, painted directly onto linen sheets. He is known for the use of delicate but chaotic brushstrokes, employing such methods across most of his pieces. There exists a debate about the influence behind his work. Some critics claim Lokie Jokie was influenced by musician and graffiti artist Alice Cooper. Another source credits the artist's work to resemble that of French graffiti artist Blek le Rat. It is said that Lokie Jokie is inspired by their use of chaotic lyrics and imagery, translating this into a unique visual style of delicate but chaotic brushing techniques to create his unique modern political and social pieces. Lokie Jokie’s work feature striking and dark images occasionally combined with a musical backing track, which he also produces and releases, often to accompany his painted works. The message is usually anti-mainstream society, support for minority groups and animals, support for women’s rights, as well as anti-establishment subliminal messages. Subjects often include women, demons, policemen, soldiers, children, dogs, cats, ducks, and the elderly. In 2022, a Lokie Jokie painted piece titled ‘The Woman’, was sold at private auction in Adelaide, Australia, for several hundred thousand Australian dollars.

https://ventsmagazine.com/2022/03/18/visual-artist-lokiejokie-hosting-artgala-australia-2022/

https://londondailypost.co.uk/camden-arts-centre-finchley-road-presents-lokiejokie/

https://www.instagram.com/lokiejokie/