Rik Catlow is an artist much inspired by urban scrawl, having grown up a stone’s throw from NYC. Graffiti tags or flyers plastered on lampposts are a source of creative provocation, and so it follows that Catlow’s works have a graffiti feel to them. Catlow uses found bits of paper and scraps of junk mail within his compositions, relying on the randomness of these bits and pieces to result in a satisfying final product. The kewpie-faced subject of Tentacles puts a comedic spin on an already humourous creature, while Gap is a cry for urban dentistry. But it is the slap depicted in Dead Bird that appeals the most because we all know there are moments when it is safer to allow art to speak for the way we are feeling.

Artist: Rik Catlow
+ rikcat.com