Rough Sleeper
Rough Sleeper
Signed Spray Paint
Stik
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23 x 53cm, Edition of 25, Spray Paint
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Meaning & Analysis
Rough Sleeper is a signed spray paint produced by the renowned British graffiti artist Stik in 2009. Coming in an edition size of 25 the spray paint shows a stick figure rendered in black and white that appears to be sleeping on the floor. The figure uses its arms as a pillow, suggesting, as the title indicates, that it is sleeping rough on the streets.
Although the figure in Rough Sleeper is composed of simple, thick, black lines, the print is extremely emotive. For a long time in Stik’s career the graffiti artist was either squatting or homeless. Stik lived at St Mungo’s hostel in Hackney until 2011 and the artist has developed a tremendous affinity to the Hackney community who helped him during these vulnerable times. Stik uses his art as a way to give back to those people who helped him and the artist always strives to ask permission from those who live in the areas where he makes his street art pieces to ensure he does not occupy a space that someone in the community might own.
The figure depicted in Rough Sleeper is characteristic of Stik’s visual language. Stick figures appear throughout the artist's works and the androgynous figures have become intrinsically associated with his name. Stik started spray painting these figures on the streets of Hackney Wick in East London in the early 2000s. The artist then spread outwards into London and now paints murals all over the world.