STIK paints stick figures on walls around the world, using only a handful of lines. Anonymous and without formal art training, he developed his instantly recognisable style while experiencing homelessness in East London in the early 2000s. STIK has since turned his art into one of the most widely recognised visual signatures in street art. His figures, rendered in black outline against blocks of flat colour, appear stripped of individual features, yet carry unmistakable emotion through posture alone. STIK now works across murals, sculpture and limited edition prints, and continues to donate a significant share of his output to the causes and communities that support him.
Summary
STIK paints stick figures on walls around the world, using only a handful of lines. Anonymous and without formal art training, he developed his instantly recognisable style while experiencing homelessness in East London in the early 2000s. STIK has since turned his art into one of the most widely recognised visual signatures in street art. His figures, rendered in black outline against blocks of flat colour, appear stripped of individual features, yet carry unmistakable emotion through posture alone. STIK now works across murals, sculpture and limited edition prints, and continues to donate a significant share of his output to the causes and communities that support him.
Artworks by STIK
About STIK
Biography
About STIK
STIK was born in the UK in 1979. Little is known about his early life, since he has chosen to keep his identity anonymous, but he has spoken about experiencing homelessness through much of his 20s. He did however spend about a year in Japan as a teenager, where the simplified forms of kanji calligraphy left a lasting impression on his drawing.
Six lines, two dots
STIK began painting on the streets of Hackney, East London while living in hostel accommodation. He developed a stick figure built from what he describes as just six lines and two dots, simple enough to paint quickly and legibly at a large scale on any wall he could find. He has described the style's simplicity as deliberate, since it invites viewers to read their own emotional detail into a figure that offers almost none of its own. The same restraint has let his work speak directly to themes of homelessness, surveillance and community without needing text or explanation.
From hostel to Hoxton Square
STIK's rise from anonymous street painting to gallery representation has not changed his focus on the community that first supported him. In 2013, he distributed poster copies of his own work through The Big Issue. His large-scale sculpture, Holding Hands, depicts two of his figures linked by the hand, and was installed permanently in Hoxton Square in 2020. Alongside murals and sculpture, STIK produces limited edition prints which extends his street imagery into a collectible form. His print practice includes limited edition screenprints and lithographic posters, with formats and edition sizes varying between releases.
Biography
About STIK
STIK was born in the UK in 1979. Little is known about his early life, since he has chosen to keep his identity anonymous, but he has spoken about experiencing homelessness through much of his 20s. He did however spend about a year in Japan as a teenager, where the simplified forms of kanji calligraphy left a lasting impression on his drawing.
Six lines, two dots
STIK began painting on the streets of Hackney, East London while living in hostel accommodation. He developed a stick figure built from what he describes as just six lines and two dots, simple enough to paint quickly and legibly at a large scale on any wall he could find. He has described the style's simplicity as deliberate, since it invites viewers to read their own emotional detail into a figure that offers almost none of its own. The same restraint has let his work speak directly to themes of homelessness, surveillance and community without needing text or explanation.
From hostel to Hoxton Square
STIK's rise from anonymous street painting to gallery representation has not changed his focus on the community that first supported him. In 2013, he distributed poster copies of his own work through The Big Issue. His large-scale sculpture, Holding Hands, depicts two of his figures linked by the hand, and was installed permanently in Hoxton Square in 2020. Alongside murals and sculpture, STIK produces limited edition prints which extends his street imagery into a collectible form. His print practice includes limited edition screenprints and lithographic posters, with formats and edition sizes varying between releases.