NYC: street art

New York City is famous for its art museums and prominent galleries, but for many contemporary artists, the best and freshest inspiration comes from the city's own streets.

Historically, NYC has always been at the forefront of the graffiti art movement, driven by a passionate anarchy that emerged in the 60s and 70s. Despite everything the authorities do, the burgeoning heart of NYC overflows onto walls, train cars and sidewalks in rainbow colours and peeling layers of paint and pulp.

 

These days, street art has become a tolerable even acclaimed platform of expression. Cities like London, Barcelona, Rio, and others around the world have adopted their own street aesthetic.

But New York retains its chaotic style as it blasts into new forms.

Its post-millennium artists use endless formats and materials as casually and directly as their predecessors used tags and symbols. Many of them are famous in underground art and culture circles.

The gorgeous street art of relative newcomer Dee Dee.

French artist Invader has his own Wikipedia entry.

The walls of Soho that we walked through were like the pages of an art journal, layers of paint and paper on every kind of surface.

Frequent street art partners Cost and ENX 

The art merges with (and sometimes riffs on) commercial posters by paid advertisers, creating an ever-shifting mural collage.

Street artist COST

Street art is visceral, a direct one-way communication between artist and audience. No editors, no curators, no critics. By the time you have an opinion to offer or questions to ask, the creator has moved on to other streets. And soon a new layer covers a previous piece.

Note: Unfortunately not all the artists featured here are appropriately credited. If you recognise any of the work, please let us know [at woawomen@gmail.com] and we'd be happy to give them their rightful due.