About

++++ biographie

Stephan Backes is a rising contemporary artist from Germany. His art and personal projects are known under the
name of s-t-e-p-h, which is just his nickname – or maybe it also means smith-to-easy-pop-high. [?]His background
as a skateboarder drew him into illustration and art. He studied visual communication at the department of fine arts,
University of Applied Sciences, Trier (Germany). steph is working as a freelancer for different skate, surf companies
around the world. Some artworks were part of art group-shows in Germany and Australia and some of his work is
published in the Australian art & lifestyle magazine Acclaim and in the art & design magazines Desktop.
He is also present and featured at additional websites like WeLoveArtbastard, WeAreTheImagesMakers, Behance…
The inspiration comes from his surroundings, from urban culture and from his love to skateboarding.
Common themes in his work are human behaviour, fear, doubt, irony, sarcasm, hope and a mix between youth
street/pop culture and religious symbols.

++++ s h o w s

“mixed business” groupshow
18/03/10 – 28/03/10, @ Ambush gallery,
Sydney, (Australia).

“small fries” groupshow
18/12/09, @ Nine Lives gallery,
Brisbane, (Australia).

“multiple personalities” groupshow
04/12/09 – 13/12/09, @ historical Mental Hospital Rozelle,
Sydney, (Australia).

“Indecent exposure” groupshow
26/11/09 , Brisbane, (Australia).

“keep-me-alive” solo show
14/11/09 – 17/11/09 @ So’n'So Gallery, Byron Bay, (Australia).

“Zine Age Riot” International Zine Exhibition.
08/08/09 @ Sea Cell gallery, Byron Bay, (Australia).

“salon for independent book art & artisis books”
17/07/09 – 02/08/09 @ CHAUVEL CINEMA
Paddington, Sydney (Australia).

„skull-duggery“ groupshow
@ blank-space gallery
june 2009, Sydney (Australia)

„threesome“ groupshow
@ Nice Nice gallery
april 2009, Hannover (Germany)

OO-online offline exhibition
@ lübke sounds, second-life
januar 2009, Trier (Germany)

„die bude“ groupshow
studio/gallery „die bude“
juni 2008, Trier (Germany)

groupshow @ art-trademarket
april 2008 (Germany)