Some of the most notorious names of contemporary art come from the world of graffiti. And while formal training and historic institutions still hold a massive presence in the art world, we are seeing more and more outsiders storm the gates and break through to become major names.
That’s why we put together this guide to understand graffiti art and art brut better.
With this new knowledge, you’ll be able to better appreciate this diverse and dynamic realm of creative expression.
What is Art Brut and Graffiti Art?
Art brut is a term coined by French artist Jean Dubuffet, literally meaning raw art. Dubuffet used the term to describe the realm of artwork made outside of the formal and academic art world.
Sometimes called outsider art, art brut contains a broad spectrum of work. The term is often used with a bias toward Western art circles. For instance, artists in hunter gatherer tribes might be highly trained and create pieces inside a well codified tradition, but their work might still be considered art brut to some critics — so a reader has to consider who is using the term and how.
Graffiti is a kind of art brut. It is any drawing or writing made on a surface, typically in public view. Graffiti itself is about as old as humanity. But
beginning in the 1980s, graffiti began to be shown in fine art institutions, like galleries and museums.
With the inclusion of many major graffiti artists into the formal art world, the lines have become more and more blurred. Graffiti art now refers to a thriving genre of art that uses the styles and techniques of street graffiti, but with finished products that are meant for more traditional art spaces.
Some of the most well known artists of the last fifty years are graffiti artists, including the late Jean-Michel Basquiat.
What’s the difference between graffiti and street art?
So what’s the difference between the graffiti art being shown in galleries and the tagging seen on train cars, lamp posts, and the inside of bathroom stalls? This is typically referred to as street art.
Street artists, like the famous Banksy, create and present their art in public spaces. Frequently, their art is not sanctioned by the owners of the property that the art is painted on. For this reason, street art typically has revolutionary or otherwise transgressive themes.
If you are still confused, see this helpful guide:
● Graffiti art: fine art that uses the techniques and motifs of graffiti.
● Street art: graffiti made in public spaces, often unofficial and/or technically illegal.
As we can see, these terms are deeply intertwined, and most artists working in one form will also work in another.
How Graffiti Art Started
Graffiti art began as street art, and people often use the words graffiti and street art interchangeably.
But a few New York City gallerists in the 1980s saw graffiti as a blooming world of creative expression. And soon, they were exhibiting the work of graffiti artists. A particular hotbed was the East Village in Manhattan. Fun Gallery and Now Gallery helped lead the way in presenting graffiti art in a new light.
By placing the work by these outsider artists in the context of a gallery, audiences began to appreciate the art on a deeper level.
Artists like Keith Haring, Crash, Lady Pink, and Jean-Michel Basquiat became major names in the art world. They inspired new generations of graffiti artists to pursue the style — as street art, gallery exhibits, or both.
Today, major corporations have hired graffiti artists to promote products. Major auction houses sell graffiti art. And you can buy graffiti art at countless galleries around the world.
Famous Graffiti Paintings
Curious to see some great graffiti art? We’ve put together a few of the most impressive and noteworthy examples.
Untitled Skull (1982) by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Copyright Jean-Michel Basquiat
This painting is legendary not only as part of Basquiat’s skull series, but also because of the major headlines it made in 2017. It was that year that Sotheby’s New York sold it for a staggering $110.5 million dollars, blowing past its $57 million estimate.
Ignorance = Fear (1989) by Keith Haring
Copyright Keith Haring Foundation
This work epitomized Haring’s use of art as a tool to raise political consciousness. As a gay activist, the AIDS epidemic was central to much of Haring’s work in the 1980s. This painting united his powerful pop and graffiti hybrid style to deliver an important message.
The Breakdown Comes (1983) by Lady Pink
Copyright Lady Pink
This masterpiece of graffiti art by Lady Pink reveals the deep anxieties of the middle class in 1980s New York City as an empowering fantasy of the downtrodden in the same time and place. The vitality and playfulness of the artwork helps the complex themes go down enjoyably.
Graffiti art is such an exciting realm of the art world. Now a few generations into its acceptance into the establishment, it still continues to push boundaries and grab our attention. Now that you know a little more about it, you can explore this fascinating genre that RtistiQ has put together for you to explore.
Visit: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/collections/art-brut-and-graffiti-art
