In the last couple of years, I have come to appreciate street art. I now go out of my way to see street art and even go on street art walking tours if they are offered. There are so many reasons why people love street art and why it is becoming more popular or important for people from all walks of life. Street art is an important part of history and identity for many metropolises, and sometimes even has the ability to breathe life into communities.
People are starting to accept that the creative and talented people involved are seen as artists, not vandals. And that their work, however ‘urban’, is still worthy of being considered art. People are becoming more open-minded to urban and street art and appreciating where this art form has come from.
Here are the top reasons why Street art is important and why you should love street art.
1. Street art is freedom and diversity
Art is about expression, creativity, freedom, asking and raising questions, protesting, analyzing, and even beautifying. A way to step beyond convention. There’s freedom with putting work in the street. You don’t even need to be considered a ‘legitimate’ artist; don’t need to have thousands of fans, have a huge social media presence, be taken seriously by galleries, or be picked up by an artist agency. all over the world.
Street art is a very diverse form of expression for people from all over the world. There are street artists in nearly every country in the world who are influenced and inspired by a multitude of cultures and styles. This has resulted in a wide and diverse body of urban or street art found all over the world.
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2. Mystery & Intrigue
There are so many questions when you’re a street art lover! Who did it? Why did someone put this work there? What does it mean? Does it even mean anything?
But with the invention of Instagram, it’s now easier than ever to find artists’ official profiles and learn more about their work and why they do what they do. But a lot of street artists prefer to remain anonymous or use aliases for both privacy and legal reasons. There are also still artists who don’t even tag their work so the intrigue and mystery live on.
3. Political or Social Statements
Graffiti and street art have always had a history of being influenced by the present political and social issues. A lot of people have painted on the walls and buildings in their cities as a form of anonymous political protest.
Some political statements are quite controversial; scrawled illegally and boldly in various countries and for various reasons. When people feel they have no power or influence but want to express their anger, hatred or defiance towards political injustice, this kind of art happens. But it is still a peaceful kind of protest.
4. Colourful surroundings = Happier Life
Art in the street makes people happy and can cheer them up. Street art makes their day and their commute more interesting and adds character to what would otherwise just be grey and boring. Art reminds people to feel alive. It’s there to beautify a space. It wakes people up, inspires and motivates them. And sometimes it can make people think.
It may have some broader social commentary, or just be there to bring some chaos to the establishment. Street art takes the ‘normal’ and makes it a thousand times more interesting. Even if you live in poverty, there’s something about bright colors and beautiful art that seems to fill the area with a contagious, buoyant optimism.
5. Sense of Community
Street art is important to keep urban areas and their residents energized and inspired. In some areas, artists and building owners come together to foster the creation of artwork that can be viewed as beautifying and reviving a city, rather than destroying it.
In some cities, independent graffiti murals are designed and implemented by artists with a personal connection to the neighborhood in which they are installed. In many cases, these pieces are created with the permission of the building owner. This relationship can then help develop positive interactions between businesses and members of their community. It is a very cost-effective way both to keep surfaces free from vandalism and to create visual cues to residents that the place they call home is desirable.
Next time you travel somewhere, take some time to explore the street art of that city. You will undoubtedly be led off the normal tourist path, but I am sure you will be surprised by what you find.
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3 thoughts on “Top 5 Reasons Why Street Art is Important”
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Great piece. I’m from Melbourne and we have some amazing street art here. Some amazingly talented artists. Where were your pictures taken?
Thank you. These pictures were taken in Cape Town, South Africa by Janaline from Janaline’s World Journey