Luka Barlow Weinberger on Art as Activism
Columbus painter and tattoo artist Luka Barlow Weinberger is the featured muralist for 934 Gallery’s 10th annual 934 Fest, a free community music and murals festival coming up Sept. 11 and 12. 934 Gallery volunteer, Madison, chatted with Luka to discuss their journey as an artist and the inspiration behind their new mural.
Madison: How did you get started with mural painting? What initially intrigued you?
Luka: My interest in murals began in Berlin, Germany almost 10 years ago. I was a commercial storyboard artist at that point, and not feeling much satisfaction in my work. A wonderful friend who grew up in East Berlin took me to the wall and showed me all the murals facing the east, which captured a righteous anger, grief and disrespect for authority. Another friend knew that my grandmother had been in the camps, and was excited to take me to the Holocaust Memorial by Peter Eisenman. As I was taking in this work, a thought kept growing in my mind: this was truly accessible art. I didn’t need an invitation to a private showing. I didn’t need to wear the right clothes, or have the money or know the people to gain access. I didn’t need an ID, or an address or a cellphone. It was art for the people.
(Also, I watched a lot of movies made between 1930 and 1960 when I was a kid, so I’m sure it also came from a fascination with matte paintings.)
Madison: Tell me about your new mural at 934 Gallery. What does this particular piece mean to you?
Luka: “The Torchbearers” places us behind a wall of ice, watching migratory and Ohioan animals smash and melt their way through. At the center of the piece is urgency, collaboration and the emphasis that all creatures big and small are capable of impact. I added acid green ginkgo leaves and ferns to emphasize the ancientness of migration, as well as all of the identities this regime is trying to eradicate.
I’ve wanted to paint some version of this on a wall since Operation Buckeye in December 2025. Our streets were overrun by agents. People were terrified. Loved ones went missing. Pregnant women were dragged out in barely any clothing. Windows were smashed with wooden bullets. And this is continuing today, though more insidiously. I needed to paint something that encapsulates my emulsified fury and hope, in a way that also beautifies and fills your day with color. I’m grateful to 934 Fest for letting me put this out into the world.
Madison: What techniques or artistic instincts from tattooing carry over into painting a mural? And vice versa!
Luka: I’m classically trained as a painter. The color theory, brushwork and composition are ingrained in me. I also used to paint walls as a museum preparator, so I’m very comfortable with rollers and house paint.
I think what has carried over most from fine art is the trust in the process. It’s easier to paint in a room with no one watching. You can try something, change it, change it again and there’s no fear of being judged. But on a wall, especially if you are painting representational art versus a more graphic style, you have to remember that it’s still painting, and you’re still going to figure it out. You just might have an audience with questions about your choices!
Murals have taught me to paint so much faster in the studio, and that has come in handy for many, many gallery shows.
Madison: Who are some of your art inspirations?
Luka: My main influence is Käthe Kollwitz. She was an early 20th century draftsperson, sculptor and woodcut artist who illustrated the atrocities of war and child labor, and also made protest posters and propaganda. She used her own personal grief and anger to fuel creation. Käthe reminds me that our gifts should be used to fight, to speak truth and to arm the public with knowledge and empathy.
Madison: What are three of your favorite things about Columbus?
Luka: The weather! No, seriously though. It’s cheesy, but first, I love the community. I came here on a trip in 2019, and it felt like home. Every day I’m proven right over and over again that this is where I belong. Second, I love the mural and tattoo scene here. It keeps growing, and I love being able to be part of it, as well as to help out some newcomers! Third, the food. If you know where to go, you’ll find incredible food here from all over the world, especially on the Westside (Hilltop forever).
See Luka Barlow Weinberger’s new mural “The Torchbearers” at 934 Gallery during 934 Fest, Sept. 11 and 12, 2026. The two-day community festival is free to attend and features three stages of local music, freshly painted murals, new gallery exhibitions, food trucks, kids activities and more!
About the author
Madison McClain is 934 Gallery marketing committee chair and creative strategist for toyhaus studio.
This article is part of a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council as part of the Art Makes Columbus campaign. Explore a calendar of events, public art database, artist-curated public art tours and stories at columbusmakesart.com. To learn more about GCAC grants visit gcac.org.