People need and appreciate art now more than ever. In a world of uncertainty, artists are creating beauty, and one of the most accessible points to see art since the pandemic has been through public art and murals.
A mainstay on the MTL mural circuit, Stikki Peaches is synonymous with satire and irony. Born and raised in Montreal, this much-beloved artist may be an internationally exhibiting artist nowadays, but organically incorporates his local roots in the love of his street mural style.
Since its inception in 2012, Montreal’s MURAL Festival has been on a mission to homogenize urban and graffiti art, and provide an opportunity for people to experience these artistic practices in an accessible way. MURALfest exemplifies how the city of the 514 is a global art hub for innovative contemporary graphic artists like Stikki Peaches and many others working within this style.
Incorporating several styles including graffiti, graphic art and preparatory drawing elements, Stikki’s style is uniquely his own. Due to the (sometimes illegal) nature of his craft, he values anonymity and remains known only as his moniker. Stikki’s work invites the viewer to contemplate the effect and importance of art. Stikki Peaches distances himself from the elitist and obtuseness often associated with the contemporary art world.
In the past, some would view outdoor art as little more than a bother, and often considered the graffiti tags annoying and soiling the city, buildings, and landmarks.
But public art asks that the viewer consider their own position within proximity to the artwork; and as the viewer encounters the work on a daily basis, we can observe the ways that urban and graffiti art seeks to provide an escape or point of meaning within the mundane.
Montreal is the catalyst of inspiration for artists like Stikki – it’s no surprise that he, along with many of his peers, all use the city as a subject and canvas in their work. The MURAL Festival highlights the most creative of those talents. Through the likes of murals and new multimedia installations, and artists such as Stikki Peaches, all of Montreal is a canvas, and that is a truly beautiful thing.
Art and music are the universal languages of creative expression. Discover more at Palbric
