The Origins of Street Art: Emergence and Influence in 1970s New York
Street art is today an essential component of contemporary art, visible in the streets of the largest cities in the world. Its origins date back to the 1970s, and it was in New York that this movement really took off. Born from the encounter between graffiti , social struggles and new forms of artistic expression, street art has become a powerful means of visual communication.
Graffiti: The Starting Point
Street art has its roots in graffiti, which appeared in working-class neighborhoods in New York City in the 1960s. The first graffiti were mainly signatures or pseudonyms, called tags , used by young people to mark their presence in urban space. These graffiti often appeared in neglected or marginalized neighborhoods, where young people sought to assert their identity. One of the pioneers of this practice is Taki 183 , a young man from Washington Heights, who popularized the idea of leaving one's name on walls and in subways.
In the 1970s, the movement gained momentum, with an increase in graffiti in the streets, but especially in the New York subway, which became the main field of expression for graffiti artists. This "subway art" movement was marked by a search for visibility and recognition in a public space that, until then, had ignored these young artists.
The Impact of Social Movements
The development of street art in the 1970s is also linked to the social movements of the time. New York City was going through a period of economic and social crisis, marked by racial segregation, poverty and urban violence. In this context, graffiti became not only a form of personal expression, but also a means of protest against social injustice.
Artists from marginalized communities use city walls as canvases to denounce inequality, police violence, and difficult living conditions. Street art therefore developed in a climate of revolt, echoing the civil rights movements and social struggles that shook America at that time.
The Evolution towards Street Art
While graffiti was often considered an act of vandalism in its early days, a new generation of artists began to explore more elaborate and aesthetic forms of urban art. Graffiti evolved into more complex creations, with murals, colorful lettering, and stylized characters.
It was during this period that artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring emerged on the New York scene. Although their styles differed, these two figures were emblematic of the transition from graffiti to a broader, institutionalized street art. Basquiat, with his political and poetic messages, and Haring, with his symbolic and universal motifs, helped bring street art into galleries and museums, while maintaining its spirit of protest.
New York, Cradle of World Street Art
New York in the 1970s and 1980s became a veritable laboratory for street art, attracting artists from all over the world. It was in this city that major figures of world street art, such as Futura 2000 , Lady Pink , and Dondi , forged their artistic identities. They pushed the boundaries of graffiti to create works that combined social criticism and urban aesthetics.
Through the street, these artists express personal and collective visions, using art as a form of resistance to a changing society. The city then becomes an open-air gallery, where the walls are invested as spaces of freedom of expression.
The influence of World Street Art
From the 1980s onwards, street art spread beyond the American borders to gain popularity in major global metropolises such as Paris, London and Berlin. The artists of the New York scene inspired generations of artists around the world, who saw in street art a way to transform urban space into a place of free and subversive expression.
Street art then reinvented itself in various styles and techniques, incorporating collage, stencil (like the one popularized by Banksy ), and other mediums. This movement is now recognized as a legitimate art form, while keeping its roots in street art and protest.
Conclusion
The history of street art, which began in the 1970s in New York, shows the evolution of a marginal practice into a global artistic movement. Born from graffiti and driven by social struggles, street art has become a universal communication tool, crossing borders and profoundly influencing contemporary art. Today, it continues to play a central role in the transformation of urban spaces, while carrying powerful social and political messages.
Street art, which began as a rebel, is now celebrated in major cities and collections around the world, demonstrating its ability to transcend traditional art categories and redefine the way we interact with our urban environment.