The Intermediate Space of Street Art

Abstract

The analysis of artistic manifestations in public space makes it necessary to order the phenomena. They are known by the generalist label of “graffiti” and “urban art” although these two formulas define different manifestations that have only their location in common. Over the past fifty years, graffiti (I write my name tirelessly) and urban art (I interpret and/or decorate the environment) have been assimilated by cultural institutions and the art market, making the differences that separated them disappear, more so than in the academic fields in which they are widely documented. Finally, the art market and the public officials have agreed to appropriate and exchange at will the labels "urban art" and "graffiti" and by appropriating them, emptying them of meaningful content. This has led to the creation of urban art museums, hybrid products that pervert both the first concept (museum) and the second (urban art). For this study a common imaginary space is proposed, the intermediate space, which offers the possibility of sharing authentic artistic productions. The only limit is the necessary use of accurate and appropriate terminology.