Street art is a style of art that has become an integral part of the modern street scene in recent decades. Once started as a form of protest in the 1970s, with graffiti as a powerful means of expressing political views, street art has evolved into a diverse and globally embraced art form. But what exactly is street art?
The Origins of Street Art
Street art originated as a raw form of expression. In the 1970s and 1980s, urban walls and buildings were often used as a canvas for activists and artists who wanted to speak out against social injustices. These early works, often politically charged, consisted primarily of graffiti and aimed to challenge the established order.
After a brief heyday in the 1970s, the 1980s saw a decline in the visibility of street art, but the art style did not die out. On the contrary, in the 1990s street art began to revive, albeit in new forms and styles. The evolution of the art style meant that street art was no longer limited to name tags and simple graffiti. It was increasingly embraced as a form of modern art, both on the streets and in galleries.
The Influences on Street Art
Street art is heavily influenced by other art movements, particularly surrealism and pop art. The dreamlike images that often contain unexpected combinations of shapes and colors are reminiscent of surrealism. In them there are sometimes abstract elements that are put down with a fine, almost exact elaboration. It forces the viewer to look beyond the superficial image.
On the other hand, pop art has left its mark on street art by focusing on everyday objects and recognizable pop culture references. Brightly colored images of cartoon characters or consumer goods are often depicted in a playful but critical manner, as in the pop art of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.
From the Street to the Living Room
The basis of street art remains rooted in graffiti, but it has evolved into a much broader art form. Whereas many works used to be applied illegally to public buildings, today there are street art artists who work on commission, with permission from municipalities or building owners. Still, there remains a mysterious edge to the art form, as many street artists choose to remain anonymous and not sign their work.
What makes street art truly special is the way it has moved from the streets to indoors. The art style has found a place in modern living rooms, in the form of stickers, posters, screen prints and murals. As a result, street art is no longer just a part of the urban landscape, but a unique and personal form of interior decoration.
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