Street Art Graffiti

Street art and graffiti — visual art created in public spaces without institutional permission — emerged from New York City subway culture in the late 1960s and early 1970s (Taki 183, a Greek-American teenager from Washington Heights, is credited with pioneering tag graffiti in 1971). The form evolved from tags (stylized signatures) to 'pieces' (elaborate multicolor compositions) to murals, and from New York subways to global urban spaces. Hip hop culture (which emerged simultaneously in the Bronx) incorporated graffiti as one of its four elements alongside MCing, DJing, and breakdancing. Banksy — the anonymous British street artist — elevated street art to fine art and political commentary, combining stencil technique with sharp wit to produce works worth millions (Balloon Girl sold at Sotheby's for £1.04M in 2018 — then the artist self-destructed it through a shredder hidden in the frame). Jean-Michel Basquiat began as a graffiti artist (SAMO tag) before his paintings sold for $110M+. Street art has been institutionalized (museums host exhibitions, cities commission murals) while simultaneously remaining a genuinely illegal and subversive practice. Wynwood Walls (Miami), Shoreditch (London), and Cité Phocéenne (Marseille) are designated street art districts.