Street art has a lot of potential: it is for everyone, anarchic, creative, often political, sometimes funny and particularly popular with young people. And yet there is a gap between it and the art world that only a few artists can bridge. A search for reasons.
Sure, Banksy. And what else? Shepard Fairey, JR and maybe Os Gêmeos. After that, many people are likely to run out of steam when it comes to naming contemporary street artists. I myself was a big street art fan, especially at the beginning of the 2010s, and would have put my money on this art form soon becoming the big thing. That no museum, gallery owner or collector would be able to ignore it. As a result, I bought a few works by Blek le Rat, Alex Senna and Alias, among others. I still like them, even though I wouldn’t buy them today (I’m probably too old). But they are no good as an investment and I assume that this will remain the case, because street art is simply not finding its way into the art world. Here are six minus one problems:
No problem: street art can also take place indoors
One basic problem seems obvious: by definition, street art has to take place on the street or in public space – otherwise it wouldn’t be street art. That sounds plausible, but I still find this definition too narrow, because at least street artists can – and do – create “indoor works” (e.g. on walls, canvases or completely different materials) and show photographs of their “outdoor works”. Admittedly, this is no longer street art in the strict sense, but it is work by artists who see themselves primarily as street artists. Moreover, not every art form has to hang in museums or galleries. Neither do the works of artists who specialize in art in architecture, land art or large sculptures. Ergo, there are other problems with street art.
Problem 1: Street art is too often too flat
An important element of art is that it is written about and classified in terms of art history. The references, theories or statements do not necessarily have to come from the artist himself or be recognizable to the viewer. On the contrary, it is usually art historians, gallery owners or philosophers who think about the works and work out their special features. It is an advantage if the art remains vague and allows for different interpretations. Unfortunately, street art is often too explicit or the opposite: too arbitrary. This makes it less appealing to intellectuals (or those who would like to be). The counter question of whether “great art” must always have a theoretical foundation is certainly justified. Let’s put it this way: at least appearances should be maintained 😉
Problem 2: The art system wants to remain elitist
The fact that street art is accessible to everyone may be a good thing for many, but it contradicts the traditional art system, which is not open, but – on the contrary – exclusive and elitist. The inclusion of street art or graffiti in exhibitions such as “Wände | Walls” 20/21 in Stuttgart is the absolute exception (and even here it was outsourced locally). The fact that museums need to change in order to reach a younger and less elitist clientele has been demanded again and again from different directions for years, but there are other ways to do this. For example, art museums are deliberately making exhibitions “instagrammable” or making references to socially relevant topics such as racism, Tinder or garbage. At least in part, this approach seems to be working.
Presenting Roa and Blu today and Richter and Baselitz tomorrow, on the other hand, does not work. This is certainly also due to the fact that museums, artists, gallery owners and collectors, who make up the art system, attach great importance to who they are mentioned alongside. The fear of a loss of reputation is great.
Problem 3: Street art wants to remain counterculture
On the other hand, it has to be said that street artists for their part often have no particular interest in becoming part of the art world. Many want to “stay on the street”, so there is a great deal of contempt for those who cavort at exclusive previews with a glass of champagne in their hand. Banksy’s (unsuccessful) shredding campaign in 2018 is certainly exemplary of the criticism of the art market. Of course, street artists also want and need to earn money, but there is a strong aversion to capitalism, the educated middle classes and the elite. Hardly any street artist would probably object to selling a picture or two to this clientele, but for many, making common cause with them would be tantamount to self-betrayal.
Problem 4: Street art is not taught at art academies
There are many excellent artists, but only a tiny proportion manage to make a living from their art. In addition to artistic quality, which is difficult to measure, networking plays an important role in the art system. And this begins in the art academies. However, street art does not take place here. But this would be necessary, as almost all successful artists have studied. Studying art would also be useful for many street artists to get to know other approaches and develop their art further. The knowledge of codes, conventions and behavior is not taught in seminars, but is conveyed en passant in conversations and at exhibitions. That is also important. It will be exciting to see to what extent social media changes the art system and whether it breaks up networks or creates new ones.
Problem 5: Street artists do not distinguish themselves appropriately
Is graffiti and street art the same thing? No. Are tags and graffiti art? No. But because many street artists come from the graffiti scene, it is difficult to distance themselves from it. It is also difficult to distinguish between the two in individual cases, although most street artists are content to stick paste-ups and legal works. Speaking of commissioned work: Some graffiti sprayers, such as those at Rather Bahnhof, Stadtwerke Halle or Innogy in Essen, are declaring artistic bankruptcy. More sell-out is not possible! So it’s no wonder that graffiti has such a bad reputation among “real” artists. But what to do? Artist collectives are a bit out of fashion, but an association of street artists with a similar style would certainly be a good idea to polish up the image.
Conclusion: Exceptions prove the rule
Admittedly, this article can be accused of being too superficial, but I wanted to write a blog post, not a book. And there is no question that there are excellent street artists who have made the leap into the art world. There are also street art galleries and exhibition projects here and there. But street art is certainly not a major trend that significantly influences, if not shapes, contemporary art. A visit to an art fair or reading an art magazine such as Art. Unfortunately.
