stikman (stylized lowercase) is an pseudonymous American street artist best known for placing images of humanoid, robot-like stick figures on the sidewalks of cities across the United States. [1]
He is reported to be Philadelphia native. [2] He has been active in street art since the 1960s, [2] when he began his career at age 14 with anti-war graffiti. [3]
He has been creating the stikman figures that he is best known for since the 1990s. [2] [4] [5] These are usually made of yellow linoleum-like pavement marking tape that becomes embedded in the asphalt over time, [6] [7] The artist places the figures, most frequently on crosswalks, [8] without any direct indication of authorship. This has led to articles in the media investigating the origin and authorship of the figures. [7] [9] While they are frequently interpreted as robot figures, the artist has said that they are simply "little men made of sticks". [3]
A Washington Post article stated that the Washington, D.C. area had over 150 stikman images embedded in its sidewalks in 2008. [10] The figures have also been placed in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Wheeling, West Virginia, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, San Francisco, [11] and Chicago. [12]
stikman has also created the figures in other styles and media. [5] [13]
Although known primarily for works placed on the street, the artist has also been featured in gallery exhibitions. [14] [15] Works by stikman were selected for Amazon's first collection of limited-edition prints by seven international street artists. [16]
stikman (stylized lowercase) is an pseudonymous American street artist best known for placing images of humanoid, robot-like stick figures on the sidewalks of cities across the United States. [1]
He is reported to be Philadelphia native. [2] He has been active in street art since the 1960s, [2] when he began his career at age 14 with anti-war graffiti. [3]
He has been creating the stikman figures that he is best known for since the 1990s. [2] [4] [5] These are usually made of yellow linoleum-like pavement marking tape that becomes embedded in the asphalt over time, [6] [7] The artist places the figures, most frequently on crosswalks, [8] without any direct indication of authorship. This has led to articles in the media investigating the origin and authorship of the figures. [7] [9] While they are frequently interpreted as robot figures, the artist has said that they are simply "little men made of sticks". [3]
A Washington Post article stated that the Washington, D.C. area had over 150 stikman images embedded in its sidewalks in 2008. [10] The figures have also been placed in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Wheeling, West Virginia, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, San Francisco, [11] and Chicago. [12]
stikman has also created the figures in other styles and media. [5] [13]
Although known primarily for works placed on the street, the artist has also been featured in gallery exhibitions. [14] [15] Works by stikman were selected for Amazon's first collection of limited-edition prints by seven international street artists. [16]