• Lucas León is a Surreal Conceptual Illustrator from Chile. His work transforms complex ideas into visual narratives shaped by philosophical and symbolic thinking, expressed through a stylized contemporary language and harmoniously structured compositions.

    He has created commissioned work for clients like The New York Times and Displate, alongside developing personal illustrations for art galleries.

    His work has received international recognition including First Place at Into the Dark (Blue Space Gallery), Gold Winner at the Global Illustration Awards and First Place at the Brightness Illustration Awards.

  • I find myself more intimately in art when I go through all these details in the artwork, because that teaches me deeply about existence, and I want to share it as best I can, in case something resonates, awakens or heals us. At least I know that dedicating myself to art is dedicating myself to love, it is the work of expressing something honest. Despite our mistreated world and society, that love is in helping us to talk with the soul, from there I trust what comes out, I trust what connects, and what that disarticulates to build another rebel and more open being.

  • I went through a near-death experience, and when I came back from it, it gives me a strong need for meaning and what is really important for me in life, to take advantage of this unique opportunity to be alive. Death gave me the coldest spiritual push of vitality, that led me to be a passionate artist and philosopher/researcher of the profoundness of life.

    I believe that desperation, chaos and pain, are part of the process of transformation towards integrity. From taking charge of that transition, it brings discoveries about what I consider fundamental tools for freedom and spiritual responsibilities, like self-discipline and purpose, to go through life and empower it with health.

    For me, art is a commitment to those transformations, its the field where I embrace those experiences and work that knowledge, studying new questions and understandings to create the symbology for my pieces. Thats why the most important thing in my illustrations is the message, and I use beauty as a way to appropriate, enrich, value and dignify that knowledge to share it to others.

    Health is the key and my most ambitious rebellion. If something from my work is useful for your philosophy, resonates with you or empowers you, it will mean the world to me.

  • The New York Times, Displate, Revue21, Hocus Pocus, Rock & Trance Festival, Nerbuda, Elua Sei, Rosa Moribunda, Waves, Puente Negro, Instituto Profesional ARCOS.

  • • Professional Illustration
    ARCOS Professional Institute. Viña del Mar, Chile.

    • Art, politics and activism
    Node Center. Online course. Berlin, Germany.

    • Graphic Design
    Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile (4 years).

  • • R.A.R.O. Buenos Aires Argentina (March to June, 2022).

    • R.A.R.O. Barcelona, Spain (July, 2022).

    • Phoenix Gallery Athens, Greece (August to September, 2022).

  • • JIA Illustration Award (2024) by Japan Illustrators’ Association (Tokyo, Japan).

  • • Merit Winner in Self-promotion and Commercial Category of “iJungle Illustration Competition 2024” (Lisbon, Portugal).

    • First Place in "Into the Dark" (2024) by Blue Space Gallery.

    • Winner in Illustration: Professional Category of “Creative Quarterly 75” (2024) by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States).

    • 5th Place Winner in 40. Surrealism Category of “Art Collectors Choice Awards” (2024) by American Art Awards (United States).

    • 6th Place Winner in 40. Surrealism Category of “World Art Awards” (2024) by American Art Awards (United States).

    • Honorable Mention in “Vibrant Colors Art Competition” (2024) by Ten Moir Gallery (Kansas City, United States).

    • Honorable Mention in “Figurative Art Competition” (2024) by Blue Koi Gallery (Kansas City, United States).

  • • Jury Selection in “Illustrators 66” by The Society of Illustrators (New York, United States).

    • Merit Winner in Professional Show for “3x3’s International Illustration Annual No.20” by 3x3 Magazine (New York, United States).

    • Silver Award in “JIA Illustration Award” by Japan Illustrators Association (Tokyo, Japan).

    • 2nd Place Winner in 40. Surrealism Category of “American Art Awards” by American Art Awards (United States).

    • Winner in Illustration: Professional Category for “Creative Quarterly 74” by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States).

    • Selected Winner in “American Illustration 42” by American Illustration - American Photography (New York, United States).

    • Winner in Illustration category of “Applied Arts Awards” (Toronto, Canada).

    • Merit Winner in Self-promotion Category of “iJungle Illustration Competition” (Lisbon, Portugal).

  • • Gold Award in Advertisement and Editorial Illustration category for “Global Illustration Awards” by Illusalon (China).

    • First Place Winner in Experimental category for “Brightness Illustration Awards” (London, United Kingdom).

    • Shortlisted Artist in Professional: Exploration category for “World Illustration Awards” by The Association of Illustrators (London, United Kingdom).

    • Honor Award “Litoral” in 42° version of Concurso Nacional de Arte Joven by Universidad de Valparaíso (Valparaíso, Chile).

    • Bronze Award in “JIA Illustration Award” by Japan Illustrators Association (Tokyo, Japan).

    • Merit Winner in Self-promotion Category of “iJungle Illustration Competition” (Lisbon, Portugal).

    • Merit Winner in Professional Show/Gallery category for “3x3’s International Illustration Annual No.17 by 3x3 Magazine (New York, United States).

    • Artist of the Future Award by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine (London, United Kingdom).

    • Honorable Mention in Illustration: Professional Category for “Creative Quarterly 61” by Creative Quarterly (New York, United States).

    • Selected Artist in “Illustration West 59” by The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, United States).

    • 6th Place Winner in 40. Surrealism Category of “American Art Awards” (2020) by American Art Awards (United States).

    • Selected Artist in “Wales Contemporary” 2020 (Milford Haven, United Kingdom).

    • Honorable Mention Winner in “Prisma Art Prize 2020” 5th edition (Rome, Italy).

    • Shortlisted Artist in “Sir John Hurt & Sworders Art Prizes 2020” by Holt Festival (Holt, United Kingdom).

    • Finalist Award in “Artist Choice V” International Visual Arts Competition 2020 by Camelback Gallery (Scottsdale, United States).

    • Finalist Award in “Boynes Emerging Artist Award” 2020 (Melbourne, Australia).

    • Recommended Artist from the Jury in Drawing category for Combat Art Prize 2020 (Livorno, Italy).

    • Selected Artist in “Kaunas Illustration Biennial” 2020 (Kaunas, Lithuania).

    • Highly Commended Artist in “VAO 2020” by Visual Art Open (Chester, United Kingdom).

AWARDS

  • • Light Visions Billboard in Times Square by Art Innovation Gallery (New York, United States).

    • The Pixels Show Billboard in Times Square by Art Innovation Gallery (New York, United States).

    • JIA Illustration Award 2023 BIP Gallery by Japan Illustrators Association (Shanghai, China).

    • Illustrators 66 Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators (New York, United States).

    • Illustration West 62 Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, United States).

  • • Floating Pixels Billboard Boat in Miami Beach by Art Innovation Gallery (Miami, United States).

    • AI-AP’s The PARTY Angel Orensanz Foundation (New York, United States).

    • JIA Illustration Awards 798 Art Bridge Gallery by Japan Illustrators Association (Beijing, China).

    • NFT NYC Community Artist Showcase The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (New York, United States).

  • • Phoenix Gallery (Athens, Greece).

    • Pentáculo Gallery (Barcelona, Spain).

    • Palmira Estudios (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

  • • Kaunas Illustration Biennial Kaunas, Lithuania.

    • Wales Contemporary Gallery@oxo (London, United Kingdom).

  • • Wales Contemporary Waterfront Gallery (Milford Haven, United Kingdom).

    • Holt Festival Art Prize (Melton Constable, United Kingdom).

GROUP Exhibitions

  • • Illustrators Annual Book by Society of Illustrators (New York, United States).

    • The AI42 Annual Book by American Illustration and American Photography (New York, United States).

    • 3x3 Illustration Annual No.20 by 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration (New York, United States).

    • “Photography, Illustration & Design Awards Annual Issue” by Applied Arts Awards (Toronto, Canada).

    • Catalog of “Prisma Art Prize 2nd Year Exhibition” Fondamenta Gallery (Rome, Italy).

  • • “World Illustration Awards” by The Association of Illustrators (London, United Kingdom).

    • 3x3 Illustration Annual No.17 by 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration (New York, United States).

    • Boynes Emerging Artist Award Online Interview (Melbourne, Australia).

    • “JIA Illustration Award” by Japan Illustrators’ Association (Tokyo, Japan).

    • Artist of the Future by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine (London, United Kingdom).

    • American Art Award (United States).

    • Catalog of “Combat Art Prize” by Casa Editrice Sillabe (Livorno, Italy).

    • “Flamantes” #14 Artbook (Spain).

PUBLICATIONS