street art inside kto: sławek zbiok czajkowski, miesto, marcin rutkiewicz, goście moderator: alek hudzik koordynacja: stefania hrycyk, iga urbańska co: dyskusja kiedy: 11 czerwca 2011
street art inside who: sławek zbiok czajkowski, miesto, marcin rutkiewicz, visitors moderator: alek hudzik coordination: stefania hrycyk, iga urbańska what: discussion when: 11 june 2011
Street art is presently enjoying a great resurgence in popularity. We are witnesses to the entry of street art – which was originally independent and uncompromising – into the sphere of gallery and museum institutions, as well as its transformation into a commodity. Street art is constantly developing and being redefined. Although it has already gone through its heroic period of development, it continues to gain popularity. Its form and subject are extraordinarily diverse, which allows for the simultaneous existence of a movement politically involved with local issues, revitalization, and gentrification (anti-gentrification), and a commercial movement, used in advertising campaigns and producing works to be sold. As art located in the city space it has enormous potential, and can serve various functions, from decorative to educational. It is, surely, a controversial subject, one that draws a lot of attention, and is of the moment, serving as a point of departure for interesting and multileveled discussions.
The “museumification” of street art, the way it functions in the sphere of the institution, was the topic set before the specially invited guests: Marcin Rutkiewicz, Miesto, and Sławek ZBK Czajkowski, each of whom work as curators. The meeting of representatives of the Outdoor Art Foundation, the Vlep[v]net Foundation, and the Wrocław BWA Gallery allowed for a presentation of the experiences of the main institutions promoting street art in Poland. In the face of the enormity of the initiatives which aim to promote street art, it is increasingly difficult to create interesting and effective activities. The popularity of this movement bore fruit in a burgeoning of activities, festivals, and purely commercial projects, created to raise the prestige and potential of Polish cities. The effective promotion of street art as a field requires unconventional activities, the collaboration of cultural animators with the arts community, and the right approach from the city authorities.
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