The street art circus comes to town

So it’s been a while…too long in fact. I kind of gave up on the blog for a while to take a break after seven years – thanks to those of you who emailed in to see what was up. In the meantime Art Of The State itself has turned 10 years old this week (prior to that it was called slipspeed.net) so it’s been a good time for a bit of reflection.

The last few years have seen some major changes in street art. Lots of new work in London now follows pretty much the same pattern as when the circus comes to town. A few days before a show opens some paste ups or whatever appear in semi legal or legal places, basically advertising the event. They create an interest, people turn up and spend their money and then the circus, sorry show, moves on to the next city. I’m not singling out any particular artists, picking on one would be unfair but when street art becomes just advertising posters really what’s the difference? More importantly whats the point?

So is street art dead? No of course not. All it takes is one person with intentions other than purely jump starting a career in the art world to do something interesting and unexpected and its alive again. And yes that has been happening, we just need to look harder, past all of the advertising, to find the artists who would be doing this stuff even if it had no price tag attached to it.

Not street art but graffiti. Revert at Feltham Circles, done for the love of painting.

I’m still going to feature shows that interest me but the best street art for me is and always will be…art on the street…and not art advertising art on the street….

Happier post next time…maybe.