Street Arts: A Celebration of Hip Hop Culture and Free Expression

"While graffiti is often dismissed as simple vandalism, it is useful to look more deeply into the communities which expressed themselves this way and try to discover lessons to be learned from the writing on the wall." ~Andrew Connors, Guest Curator, Art From the Coasts

"Street Art is synonymous with experimentation and it's inherent dissidence asks us to question our materials, the 'truth' of art history and the role art plays in society and human interaction." ~Francesca Searer, Exhibit Curator, The Populist Phenomenon

*Note that street art is public art and meant to be understood: "I am a person, I am thinking about something and I want you to think about it too." While graffiti is considered a closed code, one which only a certain group of people are meant to understand the message.

On Saturday I worked at the opening of Street Text: Art From the Coasts and The Populist Phenomenon at the 516 Arts gallery downtown. The exhibition is part of a series of events in October and November celebrating art in the urban environment, freedom of speech, and collaboration. Street Text features work from a handful of local and international artists including Shepard Fairey, Chaz Bojorquez, Lady Pink, and Thomas Christopher Haag (one of my favorite local artists).