“The cumulative scale of the paintings is that of systems, which have the power to transform mundane objects into feats of engineering. In Rogersʼ close read of  the parts, the unconscious conditioning which enables a person to never need to wonder how or why a refrigerator works, begins to come undone. The paintings point back to the complexity and absurdity of the industrial processes from which the objects pictured are derived. The built environment is in equal measure miraculous, inane, confounding, and uncertain in a changing climate. Systems designed to be permanent and impervious feel porous in Rogersʼ work; a subtle yet persistent sense of anxiety settles just beneath the surface.”

Excerpt of exhibition text from Water & Power at Galerie Timonier by Jody Joyner

Luke Rogers uses painting as a tool to decipher the built environment. The paintings contain a range of marks, from soft, scumbled surfaces slowly dissolving, to sharp, precise marks that capture the swiftness of an anticipated action. By shifting the scale or perspective of the scenes he portrays, Rogers subtly shifts our conventional understanding of the built environment. He elevates everyday industrial objects, appliances, and infrastructure, transforming them into stark tableaux that reflect deeper human conditions and point towards intensifying climate crises. 

A stillness pervades Rogers' work. The  presence of life is  implied, yet human figures remain conspicuously absent. His rendered spaces and objects feel suspended in time, caught in emotional flux. Though devoid of visible human presence, they are suffused with human influence. Often mundane and overlooked in daily life, these objects become proxies for the unseen human actors and the unsettling reality of a worsening climate, embodying a charged  absence.

Rogers demonstrates a remarkable sensitivity to the intangible qualities of his subjects. Glares, reflections, and accumulated heat are captured through his skillful manipulation of light and color. His surfaces pulse with a vivid warmth or coolness, often emanating from deep within the canvas, The paintings hum with the latent energy of the systems they represent, suggesting a world just beyond our perception. An invisible connection between man and machine, nature and industry lurks in his backgrounds. His work suggests that, in a time of environmental upheaval, we may be on the cusp of a profound reimagining of our relationship with the systems that shape our world.