Stik, is an instantly recognisable and much loved London based Street Artist. His style is known for depicting brightly coloured figures which appear on murals from London to New York to Japan. Now Hackney council has passed planning permission to erect his first major sculpture, which will be unveiled later this Summer in Hoxton Square. The proposed statue, titled, ‘Holding Hands’ is a gender neutral depiction of a couple walking arm and arm.
“Making Street Art is my way of showing the world I exist” – Stik
The statue will act as a permanent reminder of Hackney’s long history of celebrating creativity and diversity and will ensure the values of inclusivity are shared with future generations.” – Mayor Philip Glanville. Stik, who has lived in Hackney since 2000 and worked out of several Hoxton studios, is generously paying for the making and installation of the artwork. It is a collaboration with a local Shoreditch based company: ‘The Sculpture Factory’, who also produce Allen Jones RA’s steel sculptural works. ”Hackney is very lucky that Stik has created this beautiful artwork for both residents and visitors to enjoy”, stated Hackney’s Mayor announcing the gift.
This isn’t the first time Hackney council has worked with Stik. Two years ago he designed the Hackney Pride’ banner, a subject close to Stik’s heart. The image proved so popular that a “hand-stitched” banner was able to fund an exhibition of work by an LGBTQI+ youth group. It was also printed as a souvenir poster in the council’s publication: ‘Hackney Today’, given to all residents of the borough. The council’s parks chief, Cllr Feryal Demirci, said: “The fact that the scale of the statue allows the viewer to hold hands with it, is a great metaphor for Hackney’s openness, and the borough as a welcoming place for all.” According to the council, the statue is based on Stik’s previous work “Hackney Pride”, created by the artist in 2016 to represent the borough at the London Pride parade.
Stik said: “I am grateful to the local community who have supported this project from the very beginning. “The sculpture represents love and respect between people whoever they are”. Stik is a Hackney based artist who started painting what the council now calls “unofficial murals”, on East London streets in the early 2000s. Having overcome “long-term homelessness”, the artist frequently gives back to the community, donating tens of thousands of pounds a year to local charities, including Homerton hospital and, most recently, Project Indigo, Hackney’s LGBTQI+ youth group.
The UK’s tallest piece of public art was created by Stik in 2014. It appeared on the side of a condemned council estate in West London. The renowned street artist completed the work on the 125-foot mural covering the side façade of council house in the London Borough of Acton. The enormous work was “aimed at raising awareness about the lack of social housing in the area,”
“Making street art is my way of showing the world I exist. I am very defensive about the world I have created. The projects I’ve turned down are on a global scale. My form and discipline comes through necessity – to paint a picture in the time before the police are dispatched.” – Stik exclusively told Artlyst in an interview