I can only imagine how patient Mike Stilkey’s significant other/roommate must be. Using stacks and stacks of books as his canvas, Los Angeles-native Stilkey paints his playful cast of characters on the collective spines and hardcovers of these books, the stacks of which often stretch higher than the average ceiling.
He doesn’t limit himself to a singular subject matter but rather explores freely that which expresses his affinity for the fantastical. His book sculptures can be comprised of as few as a handful of books (Company of Myself has five) to a bookcase worth (Self-Portrait As Horse has somewhere around 170 books), whereas the installation pieces are huge, requiring hundreds of books to complete the canvas (Reminiscent, painted in June 2010, used over 2000 books).
Stilkey’s work has been exhibited on a global scale, including installation pieces in Hong Kong, Beijing, Torino (Italy), the UK, and throughout the US (California, Colorado, Texas, Washington, Idaho). His work isn’t limited to the book sculptures; his online portfolio shows the depth and breadth of his style and definitely deserves a look.
