What are the historical facts about street art

What are the historical facts about street art

Задание №12053.
Чтение. ОГЭ по английскому

Установите соответствие между заголовками 1 — 8 и текстами A — G. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании один заголовок лишний.

1. Historical facts
2. Different reasons for drawing in the street
3. A street art exhibition
4. A commercial effect
5. An innovative method
6. An unknown artist
7. The meaning of the term
8. Keeping their names a secret

A. Street art can be described as art that is developed in public spaces and above all in the street. It can mean a lot of different things including graffiti, poster art, wall paintings, and just about any artwork that is displayed in public places. Typically, street art is used to separate public-space artwork from illegal graffiti and vandalism.

B. The start of street art is closely connected to graffiti, which appeared in New York in the 1970s. The American artists soon became an inspiration for a number of other young street artists all over the world. For the following ten years graffiti grew more and more popular and was soon joined by new forms of street art including street installations, street sculptures and 3D pavement illusions.

C. Street artists are often associated with opposition. Their artwork is considered a crime and vandalism and the artists may be arrested for damaging property, so the artists prefer to use nicknames and create their drawings mostly at night. They are not looking for fame, especially in countries where graffiti is still illegal.

D. Kurt Wenner was the one who developed an absolutely new form of street art. That is 3D pavement art. He started his career as a graphic artist, but after moving to Italy he worked on a new technique. Wenner attracted the attention of the entire world with his remarkable 3D artwork and he also inspired a future generation of 3D pavement street artists.

E. Banksy is probably the most famous English street artist who has already become a legendary figure. It’s still true that no one knows who the person really is. However, his works are exhibited in galleries across the world. An American magazine even named him among the top most influential people in the world. However, he was the only one whose photo the magazine could not publish.

F. The motivations and ideas that inspire street artists are as different as the artists themselves. Some street artists, by creating certain works, want to draw attention to social and political problems. For other artists, street art is just a form of self-expression. And there are those who enjoy the challenge and risks which are connected with working illegally in some city areas.

G. Traditional graffiti has recently been used as a successful method for advertising. Lots of companies agree that traditional advertising on city streets is too boring and common, so many people simply ignore it. However, graffiti adverts catch your attention, creating a memorable image. Big companies find this quite useful and try to include more elements of graffiti in their advertising campaigns.

Решение:
Заголовок 7 (The meaning of the term. — Значение термина) соответствует содержанию текста A: «Street art can be described as art that is developed in public spaces. »

Заголовок 1 (Historical facts. — Исторические факты) соответствует содержанию текста B: «The start of street art is closely connected to graffiti, which appeared in New York in the 1970s.»

Заголовок 8 (Keeping their names a secret. — Сохраняя свои имена в секрете) соответствует содержанию текста C: «. so the artists prefer to use nicknames.»

Заголовок 5 (An innovative method. — Инновационный метод) соответствует содержанию текста D: «. who developed an absolutely new form of street art. That is 3D pavement art.»

Заголовок 6 (An unknown artist. — Неизвестный художник) соответствует содержанию текста E: «It’s still true that no one knows who the person really is.»

Заголовок 2 (Different reasons for drawing in the street. — Разные причины рисовать на улице) соответствует содержанию текста F: «The motivations and ideas that inspire street artists are as different as the artists themselves.»

Заголовок 4 (A commercial effect. — Коммерческий эффект) соответствует содержанию текста G: «Traditional graffiti has recently been used as a successful method for advertising.»

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Источник: ФИПИ. Открытый банк тестовых заданий
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What are the historical facts about street art

Задание №11852.
Чтение. ОГЭ по английскому

Вы проводите информационный поиск в ходе выполнения проектной работы. Определите, в каком из текстов A — F содержатся ответы на интересующие Вас вопросы 1 — 7. Один из вопросов останется без ответа.

1. Why do street artists create their works?
2. Why are serious companies getting interested in street art?
3. Where are the international street art exhibitions held?
4. What does the term street art include?
5. Which of the famous street artists managed to keep his/her real name a secret?
6. What is the most innovative technique in street art?
7. Why don’t street artists sign their works with their real names?

A. Street art can be described as art that is developed in public spaces and, above all, in the street. Typically, street art is used to separate public-space artwork from illegal graffiti and vandalism. It can mean a lot of different things including graffiti, poster art, wall paintings and just about any artwork that is displayed in public places.

B. The start of street art is closely connected to graffiti, which appeared in New York in the 1970s. For the following ten years, street art grew more and more popular and was soon joined by new forms including street installations, street sculptures and 3D pavement illusions. Kurt Wenner was the person who developed 3D pavement illusion as an absolutely new form of street art and inspired a future generation of street artists.

C. Street artists are often associated with opposition. Their artwork is considered a crime and vandalism and the artists may be arrested for damaging property, so the artists prefer to use nicknames and create their drawings mostly at night. They are not looking for fame, especially in countries where graffiti is still illegal.

D. Banksy is probably the most well-known English street artist who has already become a legendary figure. His works are exhibited in galleries across the world. An American magazine even named him among the top most influential people in the world. However, it’s still true that no one knows who the person really is. He is the only one whose photo has never been made or published.

E. The motivations and ideas that inspire street artists are as different as the artists themselves. Some street artists, by creating certain works, want to draw attention to social and political problems. For other artists, street art is just a form of self-expression. And there are those who enjoy the danger and risks which are connected with working illegally in some city areas.

F. Traditional graffiti has recently been used as a successful method for advertising. Lots of companies agree that traditional advertising on city streets is too boring and common, so many people simply ignore it. However, graffiti adverts catch your attention, creating a memorable image. Big companies find this quite useful and try to include more elements of graffiti in their advertising campaigns.

Решение:
В тексте A содержится ответ на вопрос 4 (What does the term street art include? — Что включает в себя термин уличное искусство?): «Street art can be described as art that is developed in public spaces and, above all, in the street.»

В тексте B содержится ответ на вопрос 6 (What is the most innovative technique in street art? — Какая самая новаторская техника в уличном искусстве?): «Kurt Wenner was the person who developed 3D pavement illusion as an absolutely new form of street art. »

В тексте C содержится ответ на вопрос 7 (Why don’t street artists sign their works with their real names? — Почему уличные художники не подписывают свои работы настоящим именем?): «Their artwork is considered a crime and vandalism and the artists may be arrested for damaging property. »

В тексте D содержится ответ на вопрос 5 (Which of the famous street artists managed to keep his/her real name a secret? — Кому из известных уличных художников удалось сохранить в секрете свое настоящее имя?): «However, it’s still true that no one knows who the person really is.»

В тексте E содержится ответ на вопрос 1 (Why do street artists create their works? — Почему уличные художники создают свои работы?): «The motivations and ideas that inspire street artists are as different as the artists themselves.»

В тексте F содержится ответ на вопрос 2 (Why are serious companies getting interested in street art? — Почему серьезные компании интересуются стрит-артом?): «Big companies find this quite useful and try to include more elements of graffiti in their advertising campaigns.»

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Источник: ФИПИ. Открытый банк тестовых заданий
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Which are the 6 street art history facts you should get to know by now?

Contemporary art lovers show great interest for the newest styles and trends around the world. However, it should be important to point out how did this urban culture start. Let’s recap together some facts about street art history.

Similarly to what happens with other industries/communities, there are millions of people interested in post-graffiti. Thus we should pay tribute to whom created it. Moreover, we would like to state that any of the information shared in this website might be used to complete an essay or any other educational activity.

The beginnings of the street art history

Today’s article will dig deep into the street art history. We will focus from the moment where the first paintings started in prehistory to the modern movements developed afterwards.

To start with, we should mention that several societies (better called empires) have observed the influence that painting had in people’s lives. For instance, traditions and languages.

In the same vein, art does not only serve as a way to express feelings, but also as a strategy to protest and represent the problems that exist in the humanity.

1-. It all started during prehistory with cave men and cave women

Street art history dates back to 30000 years ago. Imagine yourself during the Prehistory. What materials would you have used in order to paint in the cave walls?

According to National Geographic, Lascaux cave paintings in France are one of the earliest discoveries in art. By that time, people made use of minerals, rocks and pigments from plants in order to create their animal illustrations on walls.

Moreover, they represented horses and reindeer during the Paleolithic. Consequently, if we would have to point out when art started, could we set this era as art beginnings?

2-. Street art history around the Egyptian, Greek & Roman Empires

Next moment to be added in the street art history corresponds to Egyptians. They painted hieroglyphics to talk about pharaohs. Furthermore, their art dates back to 5000 years ago and we could highlight pyramids as the earliest art museums.

Afterwards, approximately in VIII BC Greek great philosophers such as Pythagoras, Socrates or Plato used writings to represent their ideas. As a matter of fact, the word ‘graffiti’ comes from the Greek ‘graphi’ which means to write.

In the same vein, the democratic purpose of allowing different social strata to be present in public spaces and their voices to be heard was present at the Roman Empire. Graffiti was used in the 79 A.D in cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum.

3-. Messages during the World War II

‘Kilroy was here’ is one of the most important tags to be included at any street art history essay. The illustration recorded the military members hopes and fears during the WWII.

The tag appeared almost everywhere American soldiers went, but it is not the only characteristic about the world’s most cruel event. Another example is shown at airplanes, where soldiers drew pin-up girls with the stencil techniques.

As you may see, there exists more than just as an aesthetic element in art. Graffiti during 1939- 1945 had an optimistic element for those brave men and women who fought for other people’s rights.

Street art history in the contemporary era

Secondly, we will focus on those street art history aspects after the Great War. Oppositely to what happened during ancient times, urban art spread around the world; not just at specific societies/moments.

People started using it on the streets. Moreover, is graffiti art or vandalism? Although some people categorize it as destructive, urban art is nowadays widely used by city councils to promote cultural activities.

Lastly, we will inform you about the current situation of Spanish mural urban artists and the graffiti movement in Madrid.

4-. American graffiti & the 70s subway graffiti

Above all, the street art history could not be understood without analyzing the early painting that graffiti writers did in New York city (United States). It was there where hundreds of teenagers and young adults spread their tags around the city.

They did not only paint over building walls, but also in subway trains. They used wagons as canvas because it was the easiest way for their names to be spread all over the city. Imagine trains moving from one NYC place to another in just a matter of hours.

Taki183, Futura2000 and Seen are some of the most famous names related American graffiti. What’s interesting about them is that they became that relevant figures that art gallery owners showcase their artworks at seasonal exhibitions.

5-. Muralism

Another aspect that we have observed in the Spanish street art history is how the number of mural artworks have increased. Festivals and private commissions decorate huge facades with colorful decorations.

Artists use their spray painting skills to beautifully add critical thinking in the streets. They include current problems that we could observe in our societies: feminism, immigration, racism or equal rights.

Who are some of the most talented emergent artists at this European country?

6-. Madrid street art history (Spain)

Last but not least, we wanted to show our audience why Madrid is relevant not only to understand the street art history, but also to understand how the graffiti was influenced by the Spanish dictatorship.

Have you ever heard about ‘La Movida madrileña‘? This counter cultural movement appeared during the 80s in the Spanish capital city. Adults changed their lifestyle, and we should mention the introduction of arts in the cultural scene.

Likewise, Madrid’s graffiti pioneer Muelle is now recognized as the most relevant figure of our recent street art history. Unfortunately, Juan Carlos Argüello passed away, but his followers continue his legaly.

Cooltourspain’s opinion about the street art history

Part of our team members are educators within different levels (i.e Elementary & High school) and they use these resources as activities within their lessons.

The street art history should be introduced in the school curriculum and all these characteristics about urban art made us interested in continuing learning about the topic.

Reading

Graded Readers B1-B2

Graded Readers C1-C2

Browse Reading Lessons

Activities

Reading Text B2-C1

Gap Fill Writing Exercise

The History of Street Art | 450 Words | Level 7-8

Street art can be found on buildings, sidewalks, street furniture and signage in urban areas from Tokyo to Paris to New York City. This distinctive style of art can take the form of paintings, sculptures, fabric or even stickers. Its international presence is supported by web sites, artist communities, books and magazines. Street art has become part of a global visual culture. Now, even art museums and galleries are collecting the work of street artists.

It is not easy to provide an exact history of the street art movement. This kind of art has developed in many kinds of ways in places all over the world. Also, because it is illegal to paint public and private property without permission, street artists usually work secretly. This secretive nature of street art and its countless forms make it hard to define exactly. And people have different opinions about the movement. Some think street art is a crime and destroys property. But others see this art as a rich form of non-traditional cultural expression.

Many experts say the movement began in New York City in the nineteen sixties. Young adults would use paint in special cans to spray their «tag» on walls and train cars around the city. This tag was a name they created to identify themselves and their artwork. This colourful style of writing is also called graffiti. It is visually exciting and energetic. Some graffiti paintings were signs marking the territories of city gangs or illegal crime groups.

Street artists have different reasons for choosing this special kind of creative act. Some artists do not approve of the commercial nature of galleries and museums. They think that these organizations disconnect art from everyday life. They also like the fact that street art stays part of the city environment.

Some artists choose to express their political beliefs with their art. Some see street art as protesting the culture of big business and corporations. They do not like city walls covered with advertisements that sell products. These artists see these advertisements as examples of corporate aggression. They think that if an advertisement can be on a wall, so can their art. Other artists like the excitement of working in the streets and trying not to get caught.

Gap Fill Writing Activity

Use the words in the word bank below to complete the text.

What Is Street Art? Its History, Definition, Purpose, and Importance

by David Fox

Emerged from the urban spaces, street art now lives in the cultural spaces of virtual communities, galleries, public spaces and public discourses. It has become an object of appropriation by the pop culture and the mainstream symbolism of contemporary art scene worldwide.

In few past decades, there has been an increasing interest in an ephemeral form of art which is marking urban settings worldwide, and has developed a sub-culture all its own.

History of Street Art

Some of the earliest expressions of street art were the graffiti, which started showing up on the sides of train cars and walls, and it was the work of gangs in the 1920s and 1930s in New York.

Train Graffiti From The 1920s

Truly impact of this subversive culture was extraordinarily felt in the 1970s and 1980s. These decades were a turning point in the history of street art; it was the time when young people, by responding to their social and political environment started to create a movement, and took the ‘battle for meaning’ in their own hands.

In the next few years, this subcultural phenomenon gained the attention in the official art scene. One of the most respected names in the field of street art scene documentation, who would testify to this with pleasure, is Martha Cooper, a photographer.

Very soon, photographs were not the only medium for displacing street art into different contexts.

Watch this interview with Martha Cooper talking about what kinds of creativity goes on in the streets.

Creation Through Destruction

A process of creation through destruction, as essentially illegal activity, began its evolution into variety of forms of artistic styles and expressions, and eventually found its way to galleries and the art market worldwide.

Street art has become an inevitable integral element of contemporary art.

But, it should not be presumed that the beginnings of what we consider street art today define the notion, or a concept, in general. Also, there is no mistake in saying that with graffiti began the concept of the street art.

Some aspects of the first graffiti artists’ urges to create in urban settings still remain in the contemporary art expression of street artist worldwide. It is the same energy that is present in the activities of the street artists emerging during the beginning of the 21 st century. However, one thing is certain, the origins of the street art reside in the creative process molded by the artist’s intention to create, or to form, an antithesis to the prevailing social context.

Differences Between Vandalism and Official or Public Art

The legal distinction between permanent graffiti or the other forms of street art, and official art is permission; the subject matter becomes even more complex regarding impermanent, nondestructive forms of street art, graffiti in particular, such as video works, yarn bombing, urban intervention and street installations.

Traditional painted graffiti, with permission, is considered public art. Without permission, painters of private and public property are committing vandalism, and by definition, are criminals. However, it stands that most of the street art in unsanctioned, and also, many artists who have painted without permission have been glorified as socially conscious and legitimate artists.

Check out this video where we hear from female graffiti artist Jerk.

Copycats & Societal Decline

Legally speaking, vandalism is destruction of property, and has been shown to have negative repercussions on its setting. Also, it has been observed by criminologists to have a ‘snow ball effect ‘of generating more negativity within its vicinity.

Dr. George Kelling and James Q.Wilson studied the effects of disorder; in this particular case a broken window, in an urban setting. They found that one instance of neglect increases the likelihood of more broken windows and graffiti will appear.

There is an observable increase in actual violent crime. The researchers concluded there is a direct link between street violence, vandalism and general decline of a society.

This theory, named The Broken Window Theory, published in 1982, argues that crime is result of disorder, and that if neglect is present in a place, whether it is disrepair or thoughtless graffiti, people walking by will no one cares about that place, and the unfavorable damage is therefore acceptable.

Although it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to define what unsanctioned imagery is art and what is not, the effects of such images can be observed and conclusion can be reached regarding images’ function within a pubic environment.

Defining Street Art

In order to define a movement or an art form in general, there is a one simple question – how would it be possible to define street art? Talking about art history, the discourses seem to flourish immensely from one to another into many more.

For cultural theorists and art historians seems to be in need of temporal distance; there has to be a significant and determined period with origin, climax and a future perspective. At the same time, it is always question referring to a cultural context, or question of social structures and semiotic interpretations, eventually, it is a question of identity. In the context of the street art, it can be said it is a movement, most definitely an art expression, even more than this – an art form in its own right.

In an urban context, the street art was primarily based on the notion of repetition. Since the impact of the messages becomes notable only through the perceivable presence in the urban and social settings, graffiti artists are trying to reproduce their typography or different symbolic expression over and over again.

In the world when the global digital community we take for granted today wasn’t even conceivable, artists needed to fight for the possibility for their work to be seen.

Some of the famous names in the world of street art such as, for instance, Space Invader and Shepard Fairey, based their activities on creating the seemingly same art piece repeatedly in different cities and different urban spaces.

In fact, they had been building an identity, one print and mosaic piece at a time. The repetition became a process of unimaginable proportions, taken away from the hands of the artists, finding its way to the vastness of virtual space, but never to have its presence questioned.

And this came to be a revolution for the street art phenomenon. Some artists who had begun with graffiti, started to explore some innovative and inspirational methodological plains.

BLU’s Graffiti Art Videos

In the work by the artist named BLU, art comes to life in the context of video art. The end product represents a mesmerizing form of artistic expression, but also, it is a journey which happening on the streets, as the artist creates.

The story conveyed in BLU’s videos can be retraced in the urban setting, pieces and bits of the expression building up to narrative; still one cannot but realize that it is not the video file that carries the art, but the street and the walls, and the artists who is willing to take one step further.

The Different Types and Forms of Street Art

Stencil – this type of street art includes a homemade stencil, usually a paper or cardboard cutout, in order to create an image that can be reproduced in an easy way. A form, desired design, is cut out of a selected medium and the image is transferred to a surface through the use of spray paint, roll on paint and so on.

Mosaic – is art of creating an image with an assemblage of smaller parts or pieces to resemble an integral piece of art work.

Traditional Graffiti – painting on the surface of private or public property, visible to the public, commonly with a roll-on paint or with a can of spray. It may be comprised of a simple words, such as artist’s name, or be more complex and elaborate, covering a surface with a mural painting.

Video projection – digitally projecting a computer-manipulated image onto surface via light and projection system.

Sticker, sticker tagging, slap tagging, sticker bombing – usually means a propaganda message or image in public settings using homemade stickers. These kinds of stickers usually promote a political agenda, comment on some issue or policy or comprise an avant garde art campaign.

It has been considered a subcategory of postmodern art.

Wood blocking – include artwork painted a small portion of plywood or similar inexpensive material and attached to street signs with bolts. Very often, the bolts are bent at the back to prevent removal.

Yarn bombing – while other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing is almost exclusively about beautification and creativity. It employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk.

The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their unfinished and leftover projects. Nowadays, it has spread worldwide.

Read more about this art movement in our article, “What is Yarn Bombing?“

Street installation – street installation is growing trend within the street art movement. Whereas conventional street art and graffiti is done on surfaces and walls, street installation use 3-D objects and space to interfere with the urban settings; it is non permission based and once the sculpture or the object is installed it is left there by the artist.

Flash mobbing – large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief time, than disperse. The term flash mob is generally applied only to gatherings organized via telecommunications, social networking or via viral emails.

The term in not applied, in general, to events organized by public relations companies or as publicity stunts. This can also be considered mass public performance art.

Hydra

There is no simple definition of the street art, and yet, it seems like as amorphous beast encompassing art which is found in or inspired by the urban environment. With rebellious and anti-capitalist undertones, it is self-reflexive, introspective, form of popular public art, and probably best understandable by seeing it in situ.

Also, the street art can be seen as a tool for communicating views of dissent, expressing political concerns and asking some difficult questions. The definitions and its uses are extremely changeable; basically a tool to mark territorial boundaries of urban youth nowadays, it is even seen in some cases as a means of urban regeneration and beautification.

In general, street art may represent an extraordinary hybrid form of artistic expression, and it could be taking an easy way out. However, there are some relatively stable stances which could be taken into consideration in defying the concept of the street art: street art represents a phenomenon that is, through self-transformation, constantly transforming the reality of contemporary art; street art incorporates a strong devotion to social activism ( not always the case, but it seems that is an attribute of artwork that survived the test of the time ); as a particular urban practice, street art has a great role in shaping and constructing new social and cultural discourses.

The discussion on the meaning of the street art remains in the halls occupied by scholars and critics, who ponder the interaction between notions of Visual Art, Performance Art, Conceptual Art and the ways of articulating these art forms into the wondrous world of street art.