From Banksy's spray-painted silhouettes to Faile's silkscreened posters, street art is everywhere. Look around most major cities, and you’ll find it staring you in the face. But, take a closer look and you might stumble upon the miniscule creations of Slinkachu, 28. The artist’s installations, entitled “Little People—a tiny street art project,” consist of tiny hand-painted figurines camouflaged within contextualized spaces throughout London (Slinkachu’s stomping grounds), and “left to fend for themselves.”

Be it hidden on a street corner beside a pile of garbage, sitting on a tube bench, or standing on a pipe in a public restroom, these little characters, like countless life-sized people who often go overlooked in a big city, are just waiting to be discovered. In conjunction with making art accessible to the masses, Slinkachu’s public art project encourages passers-by to be more aware of their everyday surroundings, reinforcing the idea that art can be found anywhere. psychoPEDIA asked the artist (who, as elusive as the subjects of his art, refrains from releasing his real name, his alma mater, or his day job) about his little people, self-esteem, and making it big:

How does your work compare to the more obvious forms of street art we’re used to seeing?
My work is almost invisible, and I like it that way.

What are some of the most interesting scenes you've created?
I'll always love the fly attack– a man being gored by a fly. The biggest and most time-consuming, though, was actually inside a gallery, at the Rogaland Kunstmuseum in Stavanger, Norway for this year's NUart Festival. It was a whole "street" at floor level with various things happening along it.

One theme driving your project seems to be low self-esteem or feeling small. Do you have advice for people who feel unnoticed, say, in a big city?
When I first moved to London, I knew very few people and it was pretty lonely at first. I recommend Internet dating.

Which piece evokes this sense of low self-esteem the most?
I did an installation called "Shopping for one again," with a little guy about to get in his old car with his shopping bags. I imagined he'd just gotten divorced after only a few years of being with the woman he thought was 'the one.' Now he's faced with the prospect of either trying to find someone else in this big city -- even though he is older and doesn't dress fashionably any more -- or resign himself to being on his own.

Is your work inspired by specific people or general observations ?
Both, I think.

Has any of it evolved from your own personal experiences?
No. But I was once one centimeter high, and it was hell!

What is it like knowing that most of your work will go unnoticed, possibly stepped on or swept away?
I find it pretty cathartic!

Would you consider being "big" and scrutinized or "little" and unnoticed more difficult?
Little and unnoticed. There is more of a chance you'll fall through the cracks, and no one will come to help you.

Who do you think notices your work?
I love the fact that anyone could find my work on the streets. I think this is what drives a lot of street artists. I’ll get a lot of emails from normal people as well as art fans and street-art fans. I’ve been featured on humor sites and arty sites, so my stuff bridges those divides, which I think is nice.

Who are some little people that you think made it really big?
A lot of dictators have been small men. But my favorite small guy is Warwick Davis, an actor who appeared in Star Wars, Harry Potter, Willow, and loads of other fantasy films. I met him a few years back, and he was really nice.

Are you at all inspired by Ron Mueck [an artist known for larger-than-life sculptural recreations of people]?
His work hasn't really influenced mine, but I have always been a fan of his. I would say, thematically, my main influence is Chris Ware's comic books.

Your installations are primarily London-based. Do you plan to expand your project to other cities?
Whenever I visit another city, I try to do something there. I think my next one will be in Berlin.

After the little people project is over, do you have plans for another?
Yes, I have another project I want to start soon which also uses public spaces but is more mobile. I will probably run them both together until I run out of ideas or get bored!

-Leann Peterson