Stikman always appears to lurk in New York on street signs, slapped on mailboxes, and stuck into doorways. A Gotham stalwart for two decades or so, his stiff amulet self is true to form, an image of sticks awkwardly compiled, sometimes in 2D, sometimes in 3. He appears in scenes where everyone else is fully formed and buxom, where space travel requires a bubble helmut and silver jumper, where jumbled graphics almost erase him, where nothing else is happening except this somewhat lonely guy quietly existing in the dirty chaos of NY street culture. Stikman.

Over the weekend the always festive Skewville in Bushwick opened the garage gallery and invited old fans and new to see the street artists new show, primarily focused on the hundreds of street signs that he often regards as clients on the street. In an upside-down political, social, and economic environment that gives rather confusing directions, these signs may not provide the route you need to go, but it appears you will be accompanied. In an effort to diversify offerings, there are all manner of products hand-made by the artist here, verging on craft and crazy, and even a simplified mask, if you so desire.

Never one to stand still, except when standing still, Stikman’s wide range expresses his magpie magic; a virtual machine of never-ending iterations – sculptural, comical, cryptical (?). It was cold, but there were heatlamps to warm the fingers, and an on-point dj duo, and tequila. The artist himself was on the lamb, shy as ever. But his artworks had plenty to say.

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