New York City is the epicentre for so many of the arts – from music, to painting, to film – that it shouldn’t come as any surprise to learn that it’s also the mecca for street art and graffiti.
Recently I got to learn all about the history and practice of this modern art form on a Street Art and Graffiti tour on the streets of Bushwick in Brooklyn – a working class neighbourhood next to better-known Williamsburg that’s recently become a hotspot for artists and musicians.
Attracted by the area’s lower rent, creative types have moved into the area in droves, injecting an intoxicating dose of creativity into the area and turning the neighbourhood into one of New York’s most vibrant communities.
But although a fair few art studios and galleries have popped up throughout the area, it’s still the neighbourhood’s streets which sees most of the artistic action.
What we generally regard as street art and graffiti began in the 1960s, when a Philadelphia high school student known as Cornbread began tagging city walls to get the attention of a girl. Since then, it’s been young people who have driven the movement through the decades, with the punk rockers of the mid 70s doing much to popularise the practice throughout the 70s and early 80s.
In NYC, the 80s and 90s saw street art and graffiti turn its canvas to trains, before heading back to the streets in the late 90s. It was during this time that the British street artist Banksy began making his name known around the world, eventually achieving critical and commercial success and redefining street art and graffiti from mere vandalism into a serious form of art.
These days, street art is taken very seriously, with brands and even banks commissioning artists to help promote their brand with colourful murals on walls with the community’s permission. Even Australian artists have made their marks on the streets in Bushwick, as have artists from all over the world, including Japan, Brazil, France and even Ecuador.
“It’s like I’m living in the Louvre, except that everyday is different and pieces that have been on the walls for months can suddenly disappear one day.”
Tour guide from Free Tours By Foot.
In a neighbourhood like Bushwick, which only 12 years ago used to be a “no go” area, street art has breathed new life into the area, thanks in large part to the Bushwick Collective – a local community of artists who have transformed the streets of Bushwick into an open gallery of sorts.
Tourists now flock to this part of Brooklyn, streaming customers into the local businesses that have since capitalised on the recent boom of the neighbourhood.
So forget Williamsburg if you’re looking for the artistic hub of New York City – Bushwick is where it’s at, at least for the immediate future.
Check out the below gallery for more street art eye candy from the tour: