Other than seeing some rollers around NYC and a vague recollection of a collaboration with Faile and Bast that made its way to auction at some point, I would not have been able to say much at all about Elik a week ago. Very quickly though, I’m realizing that this was due more to a lack of knowledge on my part than on a lack of skill from Elik. I just came too late into street art and Elik hasn’t been getting up for a while. Back in 2003 though, it looks like Elik was the man in NYC, with a wide range techniques for getting up. After a break since 2005, Elik is returning with a show at Brooklynite Gallery next month (and hopefully some street work too). Snake Bite, which unfortunately does sound like it will be relying on the the much overused idea of a shanty-town installation in the gallery, opens May 7th and runs through June 4th. I’m a bit wary mostly because this sort of return could go very wrong, but I’m hopeful that it will go very right, as Elik seems like a talented artist.
Photo courtesy of Brooklynite Gallery