In the last few decades public awareness has grown concerning the art movement of ‘Urban Street Art’, that is, art which is displayed on or incorporates the streets, pavements, walls and other structures of urban life. Street art may take one of several forms, including posters, graffiti, pavement art work or even installations. It is important to note that while some street art does appear similar to vandalism or territorial graffiti, it has a wider purpose of showcasing a particular artist’s approach to art as a form of expression rather than to simply stake a claim of one’s urban ‘territory’. That said, some art critics and fans still believe that street art is simply a more accepted version of vandalism, and as such it remains a subversive form of artistic expression.
Street art is a favoured medium of people involved in activism, social protest and the various sub-cultures and societal elements which are unable to rely upon the more generic forms of media for the expression of their ideals and purposes. The crucial idea behind street art is that anyone walking down a street or past a building can see it – you don’t have to enter a museum or art gallery to be able to interact with the art. This means that a wide and diverse audience sees the art (whether they want to or not), which in turn appeals to the artists who may be putting forward a subversive societal ideal or supporting a lesser-known cause. In essence, street art pushes the boundaries of the acceptable mediums and venues of expression.
Street art is a favoured medium of people involved in activism, social protest and the various sub-cultures and societal elements which are unable to rely upon the more generic forms of media for the expression of their ideals and purposes. The crucial idea behind street art is that anyone walking down a street or past a building can see it – you don’t have to enter a museum or art gallery to be able to interact with the art. This means that a wide and diverse audience sees the art (whether they want to or not), which in turn appeals to the artists who may be putting forward a subversive societal ideal or supporting a lesser-known cause. In essence, street art pushes the boundaries of the acceptable mediums and venues of expression.