words by DEMET KAMBUROGLU

Reflecting the daily onto the concrete layers of the city, Dricky Stickman paints a fresh narrative dedicated to the resilience of the spirit and the transformative agency of art. Dricky’s brush expresses a line between graffiti, expressionism, and wearable artistry. This kaleidoscopic juxtaposition may be the reconstruction of the meanings of our good old norms, where Dricky successfully supports the rebirth of a new direction. The 3D hand-painted backdrops were one of the significant marks of Dricky’s signature in Nigeria’s fashion and entertainment industry. Blending the perceptions of arts and crafts, he paints the authentic flow of raw emotions defining the borders of our existence.

left “YEEEH”
middle “IF LOLLIPOPS DON’T WORK, TRY DONUTS”
right “SPEC IN YOUR EYES”

2007 in South London signals the beginning of his interest in graffiti. While studying sociology at the University of Lagos, Dricky embraced his artistic vision of graffiti and simultaneously introduced the so-called “street art” to several branches of art. The daily happenings of life were what he refused to ignore and pass by; instead, he chose to embrace the essence of bygone feelings and uphold them to the space he believed to be deserving. Dricky’s creative design moves past one form of art and validates the versatility of the enrichened crafts.

left “THANOS WAS RIGHT”
right “TOTORI”

Shedding light on the transforming narrative for emerging artists from Nigeria, Dricky showed the audiences the agency of graffiti: more than a “roadside artist,” more than the standardised normalities of modern art worlds; art embraces the unknown to create a fertile form of existence. 

Having collaborated with well-known brands and influencer personas worldwide, such as Hermès, Pink Berry, and Johnnie Walker, Dricky has carried his art through a variety of cultures. One lingering question on the presentation of his multicultural vision inspires the latter: How can one experience the feeling of surroundings in an artistic manner?

right “RAVERS”

photographer ADEMOLA GIWA https://www.instagram.com/times.jpg/
artist DRICKY https://www.instagram.com/dricky_/