Tika of Sucre

During my first stay in Sucre, Bolivia, I met a street artist, Tika. A very cool person, funny, edgy, and someone that throws caution to the wind. Hmmm, she is hard to describe, so I don’t want to put her in a box with words. Tika means “flower”, but you should know that her flowers have teeth.

Don’t fuck with Tika.

Below find a sampling of Tika’s street art. Not shown here are her many large scale murals and countless stencil installations.

I have to ask Tika about the combination of hearts, flowers and teeth. Its a sensitive topic to broach, inquiring as to an artist  juxtaposition of symbols. Some artist will talk all day about their visual elements, some would rather change the subject…

One of Tika’s “authorized” murals.
Street artist can get permission or just spray.
Tika goes both ways.

Tika has a love affair with Alf…

…and a deep fascination with cassette tape.

 

Building her brand name recognition.

 

Strong type elements, rectangles and triangles.
Note the inverted “I” that balances visually with the “T”

 

 

A recent installation. Feels like a Bolivian weaving.

 

Mixing techniques, stencil and freehand. Shaken, not stirred.

 

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Tika has a second tag, or street name, MysTIKA.

 

 

Street art can be transit. Here today, gone tomorrow. Usually painted over by a property owner that doesn’t have an appreciation for street art. Tika has made some of her art permeate.

 

On my trip so far, I have crossed paths a handful of truly interesting and special people.

Tika is one of them.