Street art for the rest of us
What is it about economic hard times that brings out the street artists in us? As the industrialized world grapples with low wages and few jobs, the number of sidewalk artists that have blown me away has grown. My uncle, Henry Chalfant, documented the youth of New York in the 1980s. His film, Style Wars, shows how pertinent this kind of work is. An argument can be made that the art these kids do is more “important” than any art you see in a gallery. It’s arguable, but the argument becomes easier the more street art you see. Especially these days.
Here are some magnificent examples. The Calvin and Hobbes bit in the first link tore a tiny hole in my heart…