Luc De Prest was born in Bruges on 21 November 1962. College degree in mechanical engineering.
Just like in the "Art & Craft" movement, one hundred years ago, in his early years Luc designed and created metal designer utensils with a high artistic content. Inevitably, 30 years ago, he evolved into a visual artist. He lets his imaginative thoughts run through his hands, choosing his material with emotional affinity. He searches, collects, selects and recycles all kinds of old metal pieces and parts from discarded machines and industrial installations, mostly found on scrap heaps. These parts, which have a merely functional past are given a new life and a place in a new unit.
Sculptural compression, deformation and assembly are at the basis of his visual language. Luc is fascinated by people, animals and machines. This fusion reflects his calling for the abolition of the rigid boundaries between organic systems on the one hand and machines on the other. Artistic cyborgs or cybernetic organisms were born in the fantasy of his mind. Luc draws his inspiration from nature and bionics, from life and technology. In his works the real and visible world is being transformed by images that transcend reality.
Nothing is accidental or not thought-through. Down to the smallest detail everything is aesthetically finished. The unique creations, which possess a strange beauty - both playful and impressive - form an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Luc to satisfy his artistic appetite.
Jan D'hondt - Historian of the City Archives of Bruges.
Filip Soutaer - Head of the Municipal Academy of Bruges.