Creation Story

On the side of a residential house in Amsterdam, Creation Story by Colombian street artist Stinkfish radiates with vivid intensity. A child’s face, painted in striking magenta and framed with ornamental yellow flourishes, gazes outwards with a mix of innocence and quiet strength. The portrait, based on one of Stinkfish’s signature found-photograph reinterpretations, becomes a universal image of memory and identity, simultaneously personal and collective.

Stinkfish’s work often explores the connections between people, place, and the ephemeral moments captured in everyday life. Here, the bold chromatic contrast of pink, yellow, and black transforms the wall into a luminous shrine of presence, while the decorative patterns echo folkloric motifs, suggesting cultural continuity and the layering of histories. The small inscription below ties the mural to local narrative, and specifically a quote from the poem by J. J. Slauerhoff, weaving global street art into the rhythm of the neighborhood.

Created in 2024, Creation Story marks a continuation of Stinkfish’s dialogue between portraiture and abstraction. It celebrates the resilience of human stories—intimate yet monumental—reminding passersby that even in the quiet corners of the city, lives unfold as part of a larger, interconnected tale.

Stinkfish (b. early 1980s, Mexico City; active in Bogotá, Colombia) is an internationally recognised graffiti artist known for his vivid large-scale portraits and strong commitment to artistic independence. Raised in Bogotá from early childhood, he developed an eye for everyday life in the city through long walks and an early fascination with photography, influenced by carrying his father’s cameras. He adopted the name “Stinkfish” in his youth, initially as a graffiti tag, later evolving into the signature he uses across his global body of work.

His practice is rooted in graffiti rather than institutional street art, guided by a philosophy that prioritises autonomy, anonymity, and the belief that public space should remain open to all. Stinkfish is best known for portraits derived from candid photographs of ordinary people—either self-shot or found—transformed into murals through a combination of stencils, freehand spray paint, and expressive abstract patterns. Bright colour fields, radiating geometric bursts, and organic motifs surround his portraits, creating a visual language that merges realism with dynamic, psychedelic abstraction.

Since the early 2000s, Stinkfish has painted extensively in Latin America, Europe, and Asia, and co-founded the artist collective Animal Power Culture (APC), which champions a horizontal, anti-hierarchical approach to urban creativity. His works appear on residential façades, disused walls, and neighbourhood environments, preferring lived-in public spaces over commercial districts. While he occasionally participates in exhibitions, his core practice remains firmly embedded in the street, where he situates his work among communities that might not otherwise encounter contemporary art.

Across interviews and written reflections—most notably from the 2010s—Stinkfish consistently expresses a resistance to the commercialisation of urban art and a conviction that creativity should not be constrained by institutions or market demands. His recent activity continues to be visible in international mural festivals and community-based projects, with new works appearing worldwide. Through his vibrant portraits, he offers visibility to anonymous subjects and affirms the street as a shared cultural space, reinforcing his role as a significant figure in contemporary global graffiti and urban visual heritage.