The Big Issue (orange)

Stik aimed for this series of posters to serve as a way of giving back to the homeless population. When the artist found himself without a home in 2011, his stick men materialised a way to express his sense of isolation. He has noted that his mouthless stick men are representative of the way in which the homeless are visible on the streets while remaining invisible in the public conversation.

When the magazine first came out, the only way to get your hands on a print copy was to purchase it from a Big Issue seller. Furthermore, Stik travelled to various cities on the day of the launch, visiting sellers and signing posters, as well as adding little drawings to the prints, ensuring that his work would not remain stationary for lengthy periods of time. The artist's concept of art as a continual conversation is affirmed by the manner by which The Big Issue poster was distributed to the public.