Street Art, By Nicholas Alden Riggle

Throughout the time that humans have created pieces of artwork, the interpretation of whether or not the general public considers it art changes. In the past, being an artist was highly respected such as in the times of the Renaissance where they were alongside philosophers and other of the kind, examples being Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Nowadays, the arts are often looked down upon and disregarded and do not receive the respect they deserve. One form of art that is typically looked at with disgust and lives a very short lifespan is street art. Street art is the main focus of Banksy’s documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, which focuses on two sub-themes which were the actual creation of street art and its history along with the uprising

“Street art is omnipresent in urban streets and is a rish source of inspiration for artistic creativity. . . It possesses the aesthetic voices of the ordinary and enables resistance for the marginalized. Banksy’s street art, in particular, can guide students to think about various social and political issues and to reflect upon the immediate, if not unjust, world in which they live, to transform that world, and to

There are many different types of street art and murals that are part of any community. Street art and murals can give a voice or a cultural background to the community. Many types of cities have beautiful street art like Hollywood, within Hollywood there is a little community called Little Armenia. In this community there is a mural located on the side of Winona and Hollywood Boulevard. This mural is a symbol of what the Armenian Genocide was and because the mural is an area where Armenians and others walk from to go to the Turkish Embassy to fight for remembrance for the 1.5 million Armenians that have died on April 24. This mural shows us what the community is about and it brings the community higher and not lower.

Street art is progressively increasing as a forbidding magnet to charm tourists to the Bronx. People are taking benefit of the worldwide interest in street art and its strong origins as a Bronx art form, and expecting that this overpowers what Maruri named the “world-wide problem” of a bad image that the area still fights with.

A perfect example of the presence of artworks available for viewing is in graffiti. Graffiti is often a derogative term used to describe writing, drawing, or images placed on the surfaces of public buildings or areas. Although not considered fine art by many, as an expression of creativity and imagination, it falls under the category of artworks. What separates this form of artwork from those found in galleries is the atmosphere and environment that is attached to graffiti that cannot be replicated or found in art galleries. The raw nature of graffiti makes it appealing for viewers, however, the fact it is abundant in the urban environment justifies the idea that it can be viewed without the need for an art gallery.

Street art is a visual art created all over the streets, it can be present in a form of posters, graffiti, window paints, and murals, among others. All of those artists that chose to exhibit their art on the streets, rather than in a museum or gallery is because they are situated it in a non-art context. The products they use to produce their art works most of the time are: free hand aerosol paints, krink markers, plutonium paints and graffiti remover used to create perfect images all over the cities. Street art adorn the urban landscape, explode the skills of the artists, and finally but no less important, is constructive providing a specific social message for all the audience.

Artist Drew Hamilton’s, Street Corner Project exhibits the transformation of the view of American art and aesthetics. What was once viewed as beautiful art has changed with out modern art. The artist chose to exhibit his very own Bushwick apartment over the neighborhood bodega in Brooklyn. The artist Drew Hamilton’s artistic choice to change the standard view on aesthetic artwork depicting a true view of the neighborhood through his mini model. Drew Hamilton’s creation of the mini model that mimics the scene of everyday life of Brooklyn residents. Hamilton refashions the basic norms of aesthetics by inventing a new form of imperfect perfection and reaming true to the actual view of his apartment.

The cutting edge of the public art development, connected with the hip-hop society of breakdancing and rap music, began with African-American and Latino teenagers in Philadelphia and New York in the late 1960s (MacDonald 1). At that time graffiti to most, was considered to be a form of art work. Regardless of those that thought of it as art, there were and are still numerous individuals that loathe the graffiti movement. Works of art have been dependably charming for ages, as it is a method for self-expression and inventiveness. Artistic expressions have advanced in many ways, such as public canvases offering an approach to modern day unique artwork. Graffiti is progressively turning into a hobby. Although one of the major controversies of graffiti surround the statement that it is not art and considered vandalism, graffiti allow artists to display grateful meanings, skills and expressions to the public.

In the article, Public Art and Street Art, by Patrick Frank, the author, talks about the idea and meaning behind public art.

1.Street Art is visual created in public. In many places street art is considered to be illegal but in other places people and government services pay commission for them to express their feeing in the world or anything else.

What this means is legitimate street art it's an attractive mural, instead of people writing scribble. artists take the time to actually masterpieces that allows the audience to be amazed.

The history of the Situationist movement is critical into understanding how street art can be used as a political weapon to enact social change. Like Banksy, the Situationists believed in superseding art, which abolishes the notion of art as a separate, specialized activity and transforms it into the cultural fabric of everyday life. Street art accompanies an element of surprise and culture shock because it can appear anywhere. People do not have to visit a museum or gallery to see art. Moreover, he adopts the Situationist’s methods of detournement, which is the act of taking an existing form of media and creating a new piece of art with a different message behind it. In particular, Banksy’s Les Misérables' mural is a representative form of deceptive detournement, which takes an intrinsically significant element and places it into a new context. Tear gas surrounds her and the French flag is torn to signify the values of liberty and freedom being destroyed. This is one of several Banksy’s murals that are reminiscent to the Syrian refugee

The importance of Public Art in communities stems from a place of creativity, voice and rebellion. All art is a form of communication whether it is street art or museum art. Artists make art to express and address their political views, mark the anniversary of something, tell a story, etc. Public art creates a sense of community in cities and towns because it reflects what the places believe in. Whether it is street art or museum art, most all humans admire what artists express because it is easily accessible and almost always demonstrates a story. Street artists such as “Blek Le Rat” and “Banksy” have used their talent to create urban art that reflects societal, political, and economic views along with a pinch of dark humour. These reflections

As graffiti recently transitioned to a more respectable art form, it developed a more respectable name: street art.