Sixeart (Spain)
Sixeart's mixture of psychedelic abstraction and comic book-inspired figuration has become an essential element of the urban fabric in his hometown, Barcelona. His work has a childlike innocence combined with an almost hallucinogenic sense of second sight. “Sinister tragicomedy with notes of psychopathology and touches of acid” is one definition the artist himself has offered of his unique style.
Having painted from an early age, Sixeart made a name for himself as a graffiti writer before developing his own highly personal visual language with a host of recurring figures and animals. “My own universe of characters comes from a happy childhood and a close contact with mother nature,” he explains. “Also, I feel that that childish style of mine helps keep me younger.” The dreamlike quality of his work shows an affinity with Surrealist artists such as Joan Miró, another native of Barcelona.
In addition to his large-scale street paintings, Sixeart makes sculpture, screen prints and works on canvas. He has also collaborated with fashion designers to create clothing based on his distinctive style.
In 2008, Sixeart was commissioned by the Tate Modern in London to paint a mural on the building's iconic river façade alongside fellow internationally acclaimed artists Os Gemeos, Faile, Blu, Nunca, and JR. This was the first major public museum display of street art in London.
