Viktors Svikis | galerie michaela stock

The centerpiece, The Mood, presents a dark, elusive object affixed to the wall with a strip of tape marked “Handle with care – glass.” In its silent presence, the painting distills a central motif in Svikis’ work: the tension between constraint and freedom, between tangible form and the invisible terrain of inner states. It stands as an allegory of existential limitation – the force that cannot escape, and the fragility that carries it all.

Other works in the series bring opposing elements into dialogue: a crouching woman studies a note bearing a childlike heart emoji, while the surrounding scene is rendered in meticulous naturalistic detail. Playfulness intersects with analytical observation, intimacy meets subtle irony, and spontaneity engages with deliberate composition. The paintings invite viewers into moments where perception, emotion, and expression are not merely observed, but experienced and reflected upon.

Svikis’ visual language remains deliberately open-ended: his works resonate with contrasts – abundance and restraint, tension and release, humor and melancholy, reflection and critique. Together, they create a quiet, compelling presence, prompting viewers to question their own perceptions and inner states.

Short Biography – Viktors Svikis
Viktors Svikis (*1978, Riga, Latvia) lives and works in Vienna. He studied painting and drawing at the Latvian Academy of Art in Riga and art history at the University of Vienna. His work moves between figurative representation, surreal elements, and pop-cultural references. In his oil paintings and ink drawings, Svikis develops a powerful presence that makes inner states, ambivalences, and social tensions visible.