Street art
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about visual art practiced in the street. For
performing art practiced in the street, see Street performance. For
street theatre, see Street theatre.
Street art by Banksy in Bristol.
"Divorced" by Morley in Los Angeles, CA.
Street art by Jacek Tylicki in New York 1982.
"Painting in the Global Tradition" by Ces53, a Dutch street
artist
Owl, Mezer, Moss. Venice Beach, CA.
Street art by John Fekner in Jackson Heights NY.
Street art by BLANK in New York CityStreet art is art,
specifically visual art, developed in public spaces that is, "in
the streets" though the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as
opposed to government sponsored initiatives. The term can include
traditional graffiti artwork, sculpture, stencil graffiti, sticker
art, wheatpasting and street poster art, video projection, art
intervention, guerrilla art, and street installations. Typically,
the term street art or the more specific post-graffiti is used to
distinguish contemporary public-space artwork from territorial
graffiti, vandalism, and corporate art.Artists have challenged art
by situating it in non-art contexts. Street artists do not aspire
to change the definition of an artwork, but rather to question the
existing environment with its own language. They attempt to have
their work communicate with everyday people about socially relevant
themes in ways that are informed by esthetic values without being
imprisoned by them.[1] John Fekner defines street art as all art on
the street thats not graffiti.[2]
Contents[hide]1 Techniques
2 Motivation
3 Street artists
4 Key locations 4.1 Europe
4.2 North America
4.3 South America
4.4 Australia
5 Festivals and conferences
6 Gallery
7 See also
8 References
9 Further reading
10 Documentary films
11 External links
[edit] TechniquesWhereas traditional graffiti artists have
primarily used free-hand aerosol paints to produce their works,[3]
"street art" encompasses many other media and techniques,
including: LED art, mosaic tiling, murals, stencil art, sticker
art, street installations, wheatpasting, woodblocking, video
projection, and yarn bombing.Traditional graffiti also has
increasingly been adopted as a method for advertising; its
trajectory has even in some cases led its artists to work on
contract as graphic artists for corporations.[4] Nevertheless,
street art is a label often adopted by artists who wish to keep
their work unaffiliated and strongly political. Street artists are
those whose work is still largely done without official approval in
public areas.For these reasons street art is sometimes considered
"post-graffiti" and sometimes even "neo-graffiti."[5] Street art
can be found around the world and street artists often travel to
other countries foreign to them so they can spread their
designs.[edit] MotivationThis section may contain original
research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding
references. Statements consisting only of original research may be
removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (November
2010)
The motivations and objectives that drive street artists are as
varied as the artists themselves. There is a strong current of
activism and subversion in urban art. Street art can be a powerful
platform for reaching the public, and frequent themes include
adbusting, subvertising and other culture jamming, the abolishment
of private property and reclaiming the streets. Some street artists
use "smart vandalism" as a way to raise awareness of social and
political issues.[6] Other street artists simply see urban space as
an untapped format for personal artwork, while others may
appreciate the challenges and risks that are associated with
installing illicit artwork in public places. However the universal
theme in most, if not all street art, is that adapting visual
artwork into a format which utilizes public space, allows artists
who may otherwise feel disenfranchised, to reach a much broader
audience than traditional artwork and galleries normally
allow.[edit] Street artistsStreet artists such as Above, Jef
Arosol, Banksy, Borf, Dillon Boy, Mat Benote, BLU, Cartrain, Ces53,
Dan Witz, D*Face, Tod Hanson, Invader, Michael Kirby, Neck Face,
Ellis Gallagher, Vhils, Os Gemeos, Swoon, Twist, 108 and Sten Lex,
have earned international attention for their work and have shown
their works in museums or galleries as well as on the street. It is
also not uncommon for street artists to achieve commercial success
(e.g., Ash, Shepard Fairey, Ron English, Faile, Mr. Brainwash and
WK Interact),[7] doing graphics for other companies or starting
their own merchandising lines. Other pioneers of street art who
have completely discontinued street art (e.g., Richard Hambleton
and members of AVANT) have also successfully pursued their
contemporary art careers in galleries and museums.In 1981,
Washington Project for the Arts held an exhibition entitled Street
Works, which included John Fekner, Fab Five Freddy and Lee Quinones
working directly on the streets.[8] Fekner, a pioneer in urban art,
is included in Cedar Lewisohns book Street Art: The Graffiti
Revolution, which accompanied the 2008 Street Art exhibition at the
Tate Modern in England, of which Lewisohn was the curator.The 1990
book Soho Walls Beyond Graffiti by David Robinson[9] documents the
paradigm shift in New York from the text-based precedents
established by graffiti artists toward art in the streets such as
the shadow figures by Richard Hambleton and the group of five young
New York artists working collectively under the moniker
AVANT.[10]In 1993, 20 1-ton statues of a coated human-beast called
my inner beast where eracted in different cities all over Europe,
in order to provoke the average European into seeing their own
inner beast. Later in the year Jens Galschit was first identified
as the artist.[11][edit] Key locationsThis section does not cite
any references or sources. Please help improve this section by
adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (January 2010)
While practically all large cities in the world, and some of the
larger regional towns, host some form of urban art or graffiti,
there are a few locations that are considered to harbour
forerunners of particular mediums or foster a pioneering street art
culture in general. Such locations often attract internationally
known artists who travel to these locations to exhibit their works.
The following is a partial list of the most notable
locations.[edit] EuropeBulgaria: Sofia - In the night between the
17th and the 18th of June 2011 the monument of the Soviet Army in
Sofia was painted by anonymous street artists. The Soviet soldiers
depicted in the monument for a few days turned into Superman,
Ronald McDonald, Santa Claus and others. It was a controversial
subject and there were many supporters of the monument staying
painted and many against it. In the early morning of June 21, 2011
the monument was cleaned.
Germany: Berlin has attracted attention to international urban
artists since the reunification of the city, making it one of
Europe's street art strongholds. Bizarre post-communist locations,
cheap rents and ramshackle buildings gave rise to a vibrant street
art scene. Hotspots include Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg and
Friedrichshain.
Italy has been very active in street art since the end of the
90's; some of the most famous street artists include BLU, 108, and
Sten Lex.
France: Paris is also a very active street art scene with
artists such as Space Invader, Zevs, Mosko et Associs, Mesnager,
Zoo Project.[12] It started with the Lettrism and then with a
Situationist slogan painted on a wall in Paris.[13] The nouveau
realist, including Jacques Villegl, Yves Klein and Arman interact
with public space but stay, like Pop Art in a classic
studio/gallery relation. On 1962, The Rideau de Fer (Iron Curtain)
By Christo and Jeanne-Claude is an example of early uncommissioned
art. The Same year sees the first can spray work by pioneer Grard
Zlotykamien. After the "chienlit" (expression coined by General De
Gaulle to qualify the May 1968 mini-revolution, Paris, like
New-York has major city works but no Factory as important as
Warhol's. In the 1970s, the work of Daniel Buren appeared in the
Paris subway. Blek le Rat and the Figuration Libre (including
Claude Closky and Pierre Huyghe) became active in the 1980s.
Norway: Stavanger is host to the annual Nuart Festival, one of
Europe's leading events dedicated to promoting street art.
Poland: d in September 2011, under the patronage of Mayor Hanna
Zdanowska, a permanent city exhibition was financed called Urban
Forms Gallery.[14] The exhibition included work from some of
Poland's elite street artists as well as some more globally known
artists. Since the 1990s street art has been prevalent in Poland,
which is most likely related to the collapse of communism in 1989.
Street art is largely, though not exclusively, inspired by the
hip-hop music scene. It is mostly accepted by the public, with the
authorities occasionally giving licence to artists to decorate
public spots. Despite this, public property is still illegally
targeted in some cases. Warsaw and Gdansk are among some of the
other Polish cities with a vibrant street art culture.[15][16]
Spain: Major Spanish coastal cities such as Barcelona, Valencia
and Zaragoza have a vibrant street art scene.[17]
UK: Bristol is part of a vibrant street art scene, due in part
to the success of Banksy.[18]
London has become one of the most pro-graffiti cities in the
world. Although officially condemned and heavily enforced, street
art has a huge following and in many ways is embraced by the
public.
[edit] North AmericaUnited States: Atlanta: small but growing
street art scene in the Krog Street Tunnel and the 22-mile BeltLine
path which circles the inner city along industrial and residential
spaces. Host of the Living Walls street art conference. However, in
May 2011 Atlanta established a Graffiti Task Force. In October 2011
the police arrested 7 persons that they designated as vandals and
some regard as artists. However, city officials assert that they
have no intention of stifling the street art scene. The city
selected 29 murals which would not be painted over including those
commissioned as part of the BeltLine and works created during the
Living Walls conferences. But the list did not include the most
famous street art space in the city, the Krog Street Tunnel. Many
street artists and members of the arts community interviewed by
Creative Loafing believe the city's efforts are misdirected or
futile.[19][20]
Los Angeles: influential art and intriguing graffiti pieces
throughout the city. Key locations include Sunset Boulevard, La
Brea, Beverly Boulevard, La Cienega, Melrose Avenue, and Hollywood
to name a few. On May 13, 2011, LAB ART Los Angeles opened the
world's largest art gallery dedicated to street art on La Brea.
Spanning 6,500 square feet (600 m2) of space, [[edit]LAB ART Los
Angeles]] features over 300 works of art and installation from over
30 street artists including Alec Monopoly, Thank You X and
Smear.[21][22]
Miami's Wynwood is home to Wynwood Walls, an outdoor mural
permanent exhibit featuring some of the world's most renowned
street artists. Additionally there are hundreds of other street art
and graffiti murals around the district curated yearly by Primary
Flight, making it one of the biggest street art districts in in the
world.
Sarasota's 'Going Vertical' launched in 2011 with artists
participating from all over the world in Historic Burns Square. The
event is curated and managed by the Sarasota Chalk Festival which
also brought cellograff from France to the United States.
In the early 1980s New York City hosted the first art galleries
that showed street artists to the public. These were Fashion Moda
in Bronx and Now Gallery in East Village, Manhattan.[citation
needed]
San Francisco's Mission District is renowned for its
densely-packed street art[23] along Mission Street, and all along
both Clarion Alley and Balmy Alley.
[edit] South AmericaArgentina: Buenos Aires has an active street
art seen throughout the city. A fundamental difference with the
scene in Buenos Aires is the implicit co-operation of the police,
who rarely bother street artists.[citation needed] Some companies
offer tours to explore the street art in the city and learn more
about the artists and their work.[citation needed] Ever is a Buenos
Aires artist whose work has gained an international recognition,
including at the Living Walls conference.[24]
Brazil: So Paulo has an internationally recognized street art
scene in addition to pichao, rune-like black graffiti which many
creators say expresses feelings of class conflict.[25]
[edit] AustraliaMelbourne (see Street art in Melbourne) is home
to one of the world's most active and diverse street art cultures
and is home to pioneers in the stencil medium. Street artists such
as Blek le Rat and Banksy often exhibited works on Melbourne's
streets in the 2000s. Works are supported and preserved by local
councils. Key locations within the city include Brunswick, Carlton,
Fitzroy, Northcote, and the city centre including the famous Hosier
Lane.
[edit] Festivals and conferencesLiving Walls is an annual street
art conference founded in 2009.[26] In 2010 it was hosted in
Atlanta and in 2011 jointly in Atlanta and Albany, New York. Living
Walls was also active promoting street art at Art Basel Miami Beach
2011.[27][edit] GallerySociopolitic Street Art from Skore183 -
"Freedom" in Munich
"The naked truth" by street artist ABOVE. Site specific stencil,
installation, and word-play in Copenhagen, Denmark. 2009
A street art installation by anonymous LONDON PJN in Amsterdam,
2008
A street art mural in So Paulo, Brazil
"Drive-In" by AVANT, 1983, wheatpasted paintings in SoHo,
NYC
"Exact Change" by AVANT, 1982-3, bus stops in NYC
"Triad" by AVANT, 1983, sheet-metal paintings bolted to NYC
signposts
Street art in Melbourne
A painted store front gate with Above's arrows in New York City,
2010
"Astronaut Cosmonaut" by Ash, Berlin, 2007
Poster art, Melbourne
Large stencils, Melbourne
Stencil art, Melbourne
Stencil art, Melbourne
Street art in Buenos Aires
Child labour for profit street art By Kakos in Brighton UK
Political street art mural from SKORE183 - "in Greed we Trust"
in Munich Germany
