Critical Review
Deep (teal) is a signed screen print in teal, black and white, depicting a stickman who appears to recoil in an evocation of physical withdrawal.
Deep is an offset lithograph print depicting a classic stick figure against a teal backdrop. It is an early print by Stik, produced in the same year as other key pieces such as Dancer, where the artist was in the early days of exploring mediums beyond the street. Whilst the artist’s stickmen are inevitably surrounded by life when painted on urban walls, the figure takes on an emphasized air of isolation when confined to prints.
Depicting a skulking stickman, the figure in Deep appears to recoil away, attempting to make himself seem smaller. Flaccid arms are draped unevenly over the rectangular body, with one hung directly over it, emphasising the feeling of resignation. The figure peers down at the floor dejectedly.
The retracting body richly evokes a sense of withdrawal and reluctance, evincing Stik’s use of line to convey powerful emotions. By focusing on the minute details of the body’s movements, Stik draws the viewer’s attention to the expressiveness and unique language of the physical form.
