All About Street Art

In a contemporary sense, street art is a well-established feature of many urban spaces. It has the transformative ability to bring people to an area, to express the values of a community and provide uplifting additions to otherwise featureless cityscapes. With early expressions of street art in 1920s and 1930s New York, the subcultural movement took on a new meaning in the 00s with artists such as Banksy leading the way. 

But, what about street art indoors? 

It’s perfectly possible to bring the essence of this pioneering art movement into your home. And, given the wide variety of styles incorporated under the umbrella of ‘street art’, it’s actually fairly easy to take the bold, explorative shapes and introduce them to an interior space. Here, we’ve taken a look at five street art-inspired themes, and the artists that champion them. Give our guide a read to learn all about street art as a timeless interior trend for giving an edge to your home.

Make a statement

A highly visible and accessible medium, urban street art has long been a vehicle for political activism. Prominent street artists are known for using humour to shine a light on difficult topics, and now you can bring some of this clever commentary into your own home. ‘Unelementary Evolution’ by Kurar with Schonfeld Gallery is a great example of this, offering a tongue-in-cheek take on consumerism through the familiar motif of the Golden Arches.

Get some graffiti

Whether you consider it a valuable artistic practice or vandalism, graffiti is a widely debated art form. It’s also one that is deeply rooted in the practice of street art.

Many of the recognisable characteristics of street art, such as spray paint and stencils, are the results of graffiti artists finding ways to make art quickly. Banksy and Basquiat are both artists whose signature styles were formed in their beginnings as graffiti artists.

We can see how these influences have informed the works of many contemporary artists. Kilmany Jo Liversage draws inspiration from street culture to create works that evoke graffiti and fine art equally. This is an artwork flooded with a respect for street art origins.

Sculpture vulture

One thing that street artists are known for is constantly finding new and subversive means to communicate their messages. Many have stepped into the world of sculpture. Sculpture not only works great out in the wild, disrupting our expectations of city life, but can also be an intriguing asset within your home.

Creative duo Urbansolid can often be found adorning disused urban walls with their striking sculptures of hyperrealistic anatomy. Adding one of their surrealist sculptures to your own space would be sure to bring an air of the unexpected.

Similarly, the exploration into sculpture of Parisian post-graffiti culture graduate Chanoir really adds another dimension to his iconic character. The artist’s cartoon-like characters are juxtaposed with the material of carved stone to create something that feels both refreshingly new and steeped in tradition.

Typography

Cultural commentary, political satire or playful pun, typography and text is widely seen in street art. Jean-Michel Basquiat, an influential proponent of street-art inspired work, frequently filled his canvases with words and phrases – sometimes crossing words out in order to direct more attention towards them. ‘New Orleans’ by Gary John mirrors the signature Basquiat style, even including the three pointed crown so famously used in the artists’ work. The gestural mark-making and freedom of form make this an energetic and compelling piece, perfect for a child’s bedroom!

‘I Need This Wilderness (London)’ from Adam Bridgland combines photo and stencil to a similarly dynamic effect. A more abstract use of text and image, this print would make a wonderful addition to any collection. Inspired for an adventure?

As you can see, it’s easy to bring some of the key elements of street art into your home. Our fairs across the globe host a wealth of galleries who specialise in street art offerings, championing the style and helping bring a bit of edge to your collections. Now you know all the info, it’s time to put it into practice at a fair?

Main image: Gail Garcia, ‘Las Palmas’, 40 x 50in, Garcia Studio