Artists

"Cyclops is a one of the most active on the street. A true outsider, he adapted his moniker after checking out aliases, looking at slang and old code names for CIA operations,’ the artists notes. ‘It's a very symbolic word.’ His bold graphic work often draws on the myth of the cyclops – the monster with a single big, black goggly eye staring out at the viewer. Cyclops began making street work as a youth, and after a long period of drug experimentation, returned to art around 2005 with aplomb, often collaborating with the equally strong and graphic Sweet Toof on giant pieces on abandoned East London buildings and decaying walls. ‘The process of collaboration is frustrating because I'm a control freak. But with some people it's cool. It makes a third thing, a new thing, that you would never have come up with independently,’ he observes. His gallery work is much more developed and personal. In many works he depicts women in torment, almost screaming with a spiral of abstract shapes pouring out of their heads. ‘My mother had schizophrenia. If there's any explanation it might be that. She was troubled, plagued by demons... that had a real impact on me as an adolescent.’ He also often references cartoons and comic strips – including a notable adaptaion of Charles Schultz’ Charlie Brown. ‘Charlie Brown is a little detached, like an acid trip, or an awareness of how absurd things can be as a child. The way the adults just drone on, you can't hear what they're saying. I feel like that all the time.’ "

Written by Francesca Gavin for Attention Spam exhibition catalogue