Street Art Instiutionalized: The Tate Modern Exhibition

Have you noticed that many artists and art movements that were ignored and dismissed, eventually are embraced by the art institutions and the public? Off the top of my head, I can think of Van Gogh and Edward Manet who both were shunned and now are sold for millions. This too seems to be happening to street art. In the 1980's, it was looked down upon. In the 2000's, it's the biggest buck making trend. Is it the money that makes it valid or the art institutions? Maybe both?

In either case, London's Tate Modern is embracing street art too with their international exhibit, "Street Art". They have let 6 graffiti and street artists paint the outside of their building. The line up of artists includes: Blu from Bologna, Italy; the artist collective Faile from New York, USA; JR from Paris, France; Nunca and Os Gêmeos, both from São Paulo, Brazil and Sixeart from Barcelona, Spain. They also are offering a walking tour of street art around the Tate Museum. It's an urban tour of site-specific art from a group of five Madrid-based street artists: 3TTMan, Spok, Nano 4814, El Tono and Nuria.

To see this change of how street art is viewed and received by the public is amazing. If I was near London, I'd be at this exhibition in a heart beat. It is opened now and continues through August 25, 2008. Go see it, if you can. For those of us who can't make it, you can view some of the work of these artists at this link.