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STIK’s missing ‘Community Mural’ returns to Gdansk, Poland after a 5 year campaign, and the remnants of the second missing artwork is ‘Decommissioned’ by STIK.
In 2011 British artist STIK painted a large mural in Gdansk, Poland with Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art. Afterwards STIK stopped off to make another, collaborative mural with young people from the local community which they titled ‘It’s Complicated’. The 150ft (45metre) mural consisted of many STIK figures, clothed, interacting with each other and holding hands.
Missing STIK Mural from 2011 to be returned to its original location, Gdansk, Poland 2018. Image Credit Stik
A mural ‘for the people, by the people of Gdansk’ stood pride of place at Łaznia Centre for Contemporary Art … until four years later!
Missing STIK Mural from 2011 to be returned to its original location, Gdansk, Poland 2018. Image Credit Stik
In 2014 unbeknown to STIK both murals, each painted on a shipping container, had been removed and cut up into several different pieces, changing the composition of the piece. The pieces reappeared in the window of Lamberty’s London Gallery, with some of the pieces already sold for £30k… without STIK’s consent. STIK publicly condemned the sale, with pieces spread to Bankrobber, then Galerie Kronsbein in Germany.
One of the young people who had been involved in making the mural, known only as ‘Miss Take’ founder of the collective ‘Graffiti Ladies’, campaigned for the next five years alongside STIK for the return of the mural to Gdansk, Poland.
Finally, in 2019 after much campaigning, petitioning and rallying public support an agreement was reached with Lamberty and the young people’s community mural was completely recovered and then shipped to Gdansk.
“I’m really happy to see the mural coming back to Gdansk, it has been really hard work to get it back where it belongs. Finally!” Miss Take
Currently the mural currently sits in a storage facility on the outskirts of Gdansk hoping to find a more public place to live…
The majority of the pieces of the other missing solo mural by STIK were retrieved and destroyed in England by the artist to prevent them re-entering the market and the missing pieces remain listed with the relevant authorities.
“I only permit the sale of street artworks when the money goes directly back to the community it was painted for.” STIK
The return of the mural was made possible by Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Boodle Hatfield LLP, Graffiti Ladies, Miss Take, The Institute of Art and Law, Becky Shaw, Fred Clark, Michael Edinburg QC, Tim Maxwell, Rudy Capildeo, Enrico Bonadio, Ania Szynwelska, Jadwiga Charzynska, Alex Herman, Detective George Demetriou, Richard Roberts, Kinga at JLSW, The British Council, Art Loss Register, James Ratcliffe, Flight Logistics, Russell Perkins, RYCA, Jo Brooks, Urban Art Association, Jack Cerrano, Mikey Dread, Robin Phillips, Claude Crommelin, Ana Laurini, Kilburn Strode, Carrollanne Lindley, Jack Cerrano, Printspace, Change.org, Giles Angel, Sheila Chandra, Grayson Perry, SOSM, Mariusz Jaksik, Hackney Citizen, Hackney Gazette, Graffiti Street, The Art Newspaper, Melanie Gerlis, DACS, Evelinka, RSH, Richard, Invader, Clet Abraham, Mr. Simon, Ling Mann, Emiliano, Kevin, New Waverly Studios and everyone who signed the petition.
STIK states that he did not authenticate this sale and only authenticates the sale of public artworks when it is for the benefit of the community. Which STIK has been seen to do many times over the years raising money for much needed charities.
Photo Credit STIK
