Bad Luck hits Philly streets after dark, cutting stencils that stop people in their tracks. This 33-year-old Southwest Philly artist transforms city walls into his personal canvas with stark black-and-white imagery that punches you in the gut1. From screaming kids in straitjackets to children in bulletproof vests with hands raised, his work grabs attention with imagery that makes people stop and think1.
His process is straightforward but effective: cut detailed stencils from posterboard, tape them to walls, and spray away. While most of his work sticks to grayscale, he'll occasionally throw in a splash of color – maybe a red flame or pink lipstick – to make the image pop even harder2. Bad Luck says creating these pieces helps him process his own thoughts and feelings, turning personal shit into public statements.
Coming up as a graffiti writer before switching to stencils has put Bad Luck in a weird spot in Philly's street art scene. Traditional graffiti artists sometimes beef with him by tagging over his work (and yeah, he'll sometimes cover theirs right back)3. It's the classic street art territorial pissing contest, but it hasn't stopped him from getting up all over the city.
The Banksy comparisons drive him crazy. "I hate it, man," he says. "If you try to do stencil work, then somehow you're automatically biting off of Banksy."4 He'd rather be known as "Stencil Man" than "Fake Banksy" – just another artist trying to carve out his own lane. When he's not painting, Bad Luck is dealing with the usual life stuff – day job, family, being a dad – while collaborating with fellow artist Bleak. They previously shared an instagram handle which has since been deactivated.
Most of Bad Luck's work gets buffed within days – sometimes hours – of going up. But that impermanence is part of street art. His pieces exist for a brief moment, forcing people to pause and think before the city washes them away and moves on2.
PhillyVoice - Philadelphia street artist Bad Luck's painting offers commentary on school shootings
