Ethereal Street Art of a Woman in a Flower Crown Pops Up in London Underpass

SNIK Mural in London

Photo: Doug Gillen

After a two-year break from creating outdoor work in the UK, British street art duo SNIK is back. While the World Decays is the title of this mural, which sits in an underpass in South East London. Organized by London Calling Blog, the portrait of a woman in a flower crown is executed using stencils in their halftone style.

Thanks to documentation by several photographers, we're also able to see how SNIK brought their vision to life. Stencil art is all about preparation, and the photos show the duo carefully unrolling the paper stencil matrixes on the wall. After spraying the stencils, it's then all about touching up the gaps for a seamless final product.

This type of work looks even better from a distance, when the halftone effect is maximized and the woman's features pop. Her closed eyes and dreamy look falls in line with SNIK's ethereal portraiture, which is a modern twist on Pre-Raphaelite sensibilities.

Theirs is one of 100 pieces of street art introduced to the Penge neighborhood thanks to London Calling. Ben Eine, Stinkfish, and Alice Pasquini are just some of the numerous artists who have transformed this suburb into an open air museum.

Street art duo SNIK recently painted their first outdoor work in the UK in over two years.

SNIK While the World Decays

Photo: Doug Gillen

SNIK Working in London

Photo: Doug Gillen

Using stencils, they brought to life this ethereal portrait of a woman.

Work in progress by street art duo SNIK

Photo: Street Art Atlas

Street artists working

Photo: Street Art Atlas

SNIK: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by SNIK.

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Artist Stencils Miniature Apartment Buildings on the Street

Street Artist Adds a Delicate Touch of Lace to Public Urban Spaces

Portuguese Street Artist Decorates Electrical Box with Ornate Tile Patterns

How to Make Your Own Stencils + Thousands of Free Ready-to-Use Downloads

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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