Get out the wheatpaste and see if you get inspiration from SacSix. From the streets of New York City to corporate art, this artist is making a big name for himself.
What began as illegal became a profession for this street artist. He’s certainly not alone in this path from unlawful activities to money-making opportunities.
Discover how SacSix grew from his early days on the streets to becoming a successful artist.
Let’s dig in!
The Story of SacSix
Like many street artists, SacSix is pretty tight-lipped about his personal life. We know he was born in Miami, Florida, and moved in 2006 to New York City. His goal was to make TV commercials as a creative art director in advertising.
The tag, SacSix, came from his initials and his favorite number.
His aspirations went slightly awry when he fell in love with the city’s streets and all the wall art. He wandered the streets for hours and spent nine years photographing the sites and sounds. Having done his research, SacSix stepped into the street arena with his first piece of illegal art in December 2015.
SacSix’s career soared in a matter of years thanks to collaborations with well-known brands like Adidas, MTV, and The Grammys.
What is SacSix’s Art Style?
SacSix started with wheatpasting, but his work is in constant evolution. He tags, face paints, and practices traditional street art with an eye for photography too. The work ranges from black and white cutout faces with colorful framing to geometric lines and patterns.
In his #SidewalksAndIcons series, SacSix explores past and present pop culture icons and their relationship with New York City streets.
Where SacSix’s illegal works get buffed out, such as his Fallen Giants commentary on lost businesses, videos and still images live on in his NFTs.
He’s also taken on a social media anti-bullying campaign with #PostNoHate. A percentage of art sales goes to help the campaign.
SacSix loves to recreate spaces and street ads with a new aesthetic vision.
What Inspired SacSix’s Art?
SacSix told T.K. Mills (UP magazine) that Robert Janz was a big inspiration. He liked how Janz played with ad posters to subvert consumerism using his own messages.
He began tearing up posters and piecing them back together to create faces. By cutting out ideas and concepts, SacSix created empty spaces he could fill.
The streets are truly SacSix’s original inspiration. His concepts begin outside, and then he takes them into the studio.
What is Wheatpasting?
Have you ever made your own pinata at home with balloons, newspaper, and a gooey flour mixture? If so, you were practicing wheatpasting.
Wheatpasting involves a mixture of flour or starch and water to make a paste. It acts as a liquid adhesive. The process actually has origins dating back centuries.
People have used it for bookbinding, collage, crafts, and of course, adhering things to walls. Depending on whether you use wheat or other vegetables, the adhesive can be very difficult to release.
Wheatpaste is easy to make and affordable. Street artists like it because it’s cheap to make in bulk. Depending on the paste they choose to make, the art may be easily removed or stuck for the long term.
What Are Some of SacSix’s Art Pieces?
SacSix recently did a photo shoot in South Miami. He regularly posts to his website. But we want to see his work up close and in real life.
Urban Zen Garden in Manhattan
Strolling around Manhattan, you may not take notice of the power poles and ordinary objects that create the cityscape. But if you look down and see concentric painted waves, you’ve just entered SacSix’s Zen Garden.
This is an opportunity to stop in the bustling city and contemplate life for a moment. SacSix wants to inspire mindfulness and self-enlightenment in this urban landscape.
Parents Just Don’t Understand NFTs
SacSix created Parents Just Don’t Understand NFTs for The 60 Collective group show. The image is on a 24” by 24” street sign. He hand-painted wheatpaste and then finished it with resin.
The image is a classic SacSix black and white cutout of Will Smith as the Fresh Prince of Belair, overlain on the dayglow orange sign.
Sorry folks, this one is sold.
Seinfeld Lennon
SacSix created wheatpaste street art of a young Jerry Seinfeld for Festivus. He then developed a series of limited-edition prints related to the original wall art.
Each image is slightly different, but they all contain a black and white cutout of Jerry wearing a New York City t-shirt. A common theme across all the prints is the message, “Post No Hate.”
Yes, these are all sold out as well. But you can admire the prints on SacSix’s Instagram feed.
Where Can I See SacSix’s Art?
No known galleries exist with a permanent display of SacSix’s art. However, we do have some other alternatives. Wandering down the streets of New York City is a fabulous way to take in SacSix’s street art series, among works from other artists.
If you stroll down 151 West 34th Street, pop into Macy’s. SacSix collaborated with Adidas and Happy Lucky Design to create a connection between sport, street culture, and New York City. The column he made pops with current culture and is on permanent display.
But maybe you can’t make a trip to the Big Apple. In the meantime, you can catch up with all things SacSix on his Instagram feed or website.
What is the SacSix School of Wheatpaste?
Would you like your very own tutorial on illegal street wheatpasting? SacSix will hook you up with his two-hour workshop in his Lower East Side studio. Get an intimate experience with just one to four people, a group of up to eight friends, or schedule a whole party for groups of over ten.
Choose your workshop style for either aspiring artists or street art fans. You’ll learn a brief history of wheatpaste, how to make the paste, paper selection, and insider tips for pasting on the streets. A walking and wheatpasting tour of the Lower East Side finishes the experience.
Oh, you know we’re dying to do this!
Strolling the Streets Looking For Art
With so many reasons to visit New York City, SacSix just gave us another one. We’d love nothing better than to wander the streets searching for his tags and wheatpasting. Taking the SacSix workshop will really advance the next pinata party at our house.
Do you have a favorite SacSix street art? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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