STIK

Painted in a pared-back palette of black and white, backdropped by block colours, the stick figures of the British street artist STIK have appeared all over London and much further afield, in Europe, Asia and America. Composed, simply, of four lines, one circle, one square and two dots, his endearing characters are full of symbolism, with community at the core of his practice. Painting, producing prints and creating murals anonymously, his works celebrate the love and kinship that helped him flourish as an artist.

Little is known about STIK’s life because he has chosen to keep his identity hidden. What we do know is that he experienced the horror of homelessness in his early 20s, and it was during his time living in shelters that he first began painting on the streets of London. With the support of his friends and the wider community, he was able to access independent housing and begin his journey to becoming a full-time artist. Indebted to those who assisted him, he has been quoted as saying that street art is his way of giving back.

STIK's six-line minimalist style is heavily influenced by Japanese kanji, after his year-long stay in Japan during his late teens. This concept functions as a shorthand for conveying complex human emotions. The artist also uses his art to advocate and fund projects such as ‘My Mural’ and the ‘Hackney Public Sculpture Project’ to champion emerging artists.