English
When in the ´80s street art emerged from the tagging wars on the streets of New York, nobody thought that 20 years later it would be established as a legitimate artistic discipline recognized by art historians and critics.
This subculture has risen up from the street and begun to show up in elite galleries at the international level, and is finally reaching the biggest museums. In less than .thirty years, it has been incorporated into the “sacred” art canon of the major cultural institutions. As street art has travelled through all these places, it has evolved: changing techniques, and above all, its philosophy. What we see today in galleries and museums has little to do with the subcultural momentum that the activist street art of yesteryear once had. Perhaps because it is no longer found in the street.
A great paradox of street art is not only its marketing in the art world, but also by its use as a marketing tool to sell an infinite list of products such as T-shirts emblazoned with tags, posters, caps, key chains, even shoes, all “signed” by the artist. After the street art became widely known for criticizing the processes of globalization and the infiltration of urban space by capitalist advertising, some critics have been stunned by its eagerness to adapt to the demands of market, and posit itself as yet another commercial aesthetic.
The exhibition “Street and Studio” in the Kunsthalle Wien explores its path, from its beginnings on the street. It collects work from a generation of artists for whom the city has not only been a source of inspiration, and in turn, a means of expression. American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat forms the starting point for this interesting collection, as his work has been named as one of the most important references for this generation of artists. Among the artists on display next to Basquiat, you will find Brad Downy, Keith Haring, Jenny Holy, Mark Jenkins, Blek le Rat, Séripop, Andy Warhol, and many more.
If you´re a fan of street art, don’t miss this exciting show that will open on 25 June in the Austrian capital. For a comfortable and relaxing stay, rent apartments in Vienna, you won’t regret it.
