Street art is regarded as the most influential and dynamic art movement in the history of art, it is a type of art form predominantly displayed in public areas like walls, bridges, and buildings. It includes various style forms such as Graffiti, Stencils, and Mural. It breaks free from traditional paintings or conventional art styles (Underground Gallery, What is Street Art, 2024). As described by a famous street artist, Ben Eine, this artistic revolution goes beyond traditional graffiti, it adds to the environment and is a positive experience for the artist and community (Art Gallery). Its appeal goes beyond the geographical borders, creating stories from the streets of New York to the Lodhi Art District in New Delhi, spreading its influence all over the world.

Aravani Art Project, Lodhi Art District 2020

Other than street Art there are various types of urban art forms like murals, stencils, and graffiti. Muralism is a form that involves large-scale painting that often covers big walls. Another type is the stencils which are created by cutting out shapes from the plastic or paper layers and using them to apply paint to surfaces. Graffiti is another well-known, distinctive form of street art, it includes tags, throw-ups and hollows, straight letters, and more. Graffiti's process of labeling and lettering is always centered around words. Graffiti art is largely associated with hip-hop and punk subcultures and still represents a form of rebellion it is synonymous with (Artland Magazine). There are other art forms, such as etch graffiti, anti-style, and pichscao, a style native to sao paolo.

Difference between Mural Art and Graffiti, Street Art Mural, Minneapolis (On left), Graffiti on the walls of Berlin (On Right)

Source - Graffstorm and Britannica

This art form is created in various ways with a wide range of techniques. Tagging by aerosol paint is one of the most common and quickest ways to put out work in public, while markers, paint, and innovations such as filling fire extinguishers with paint are also widely used. But artists employ every kind of media and material accessible, including paint, markers, stencils, stickers, posters, fabrics, and LED lights, to create art, mosaics, or video projection. Yarnbombing, the act of taking colorful knitted or crocheted yarn or fiber to the streets, is one of the fairly new phenomena in the street art world (Artland Magazine, Street Art: History of the Art Movement and the Artists That Turned Cities Into Open Sky Museums).

Example of Yarnbombing on the tree

Source - Domestika

This art form has long and deep historical roots, its origins date back to the early human need to draw and sketch on natural surfaces to communicate. During prehistoric times, humans displayed their handprints and hunting scenes on cave walls, reflecting the life and way of living of early humans. Street art as we know it today emerged primarily in New York in the 1920s and 1930s. During this period, there was an emergence of name-based tags and crude graffiti. It started as a form of self-expression among young people who wanted to leave their mark on the city (Book an Artist, The benefit of street art in communities, 2023). New York was experiencing financial difficulties and was in danger of filing for bankruptcy in the 1960s. The vast areas of boarded-up buildings, vacant lots, closed-down factories, and construction sites became the canvas for a group of creative kids, first in Spanish Harlem, that led to the development of a whole art form that went from a simple signature to murals, covered entire subway cars (Artland Magazine, Street Art: History of the Art Movement and the Artists That Turned Cities Into Open Sky Museums).

Stencil Art “Girl with the Ballon” by Banksy

Source - Open Walls Gallery

The Grafitti art movement later spread to Europe in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and during this time artists started forming groups and working on their unique styles. During the 1970s, Martha Cooper, a renowned photographer started documenting the street art scene of New York. By the 1980s, this style had become a global phenomenon, artists around the world were using public spaces to showcase their work. It became a way to challenge the traditional art world and to express political and social messages (Book an Artist). During this period it found its way to art galleries and museums, at a time when artists like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat's works were taken from the street into the fine art world, which gave legitimacy to this field. Since then, this art form has secured its position in the art world and has become validated as a cultural phenomenon (Artland Magazine, Street Art: History of the Art Movement and the Artists That Turned Cities Into Open Sky Museums).

Bohemian neighbor, Sao Paolo, Graffiti Corner - Photograph by Alamy

Street art including graffiti evolved which was initially looked down upon and was seen as vandalized but now it has gained popularity and become an attractive art form. Street artists have now gained popularity around the world, several street artists are using different methods. Some use their art to convey socio-political messages. Early artists, such as Cornbread in Philadelphia, aided its emergence in the late 1960s. Artists like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat helped to popularize street art, especially Graffiti. Diverse styles emerged to prominence, notably Tracy 168's Wild Style. Banksy, an anonymous artist, known for his political, satirical street art, his works mainly incorporated techniques of stencils and graffiti. Artists pushed the boundaries of techniques and materials, such as mosaic tiles and Rubik's Cubes. This is increasingly widely acknowledged and valued in galleries, museums, and public areas, with towns encouraging and Inviting well-known street artists to contribute to their cultural landscapes.

Berlin wall, Photo by ilolab/Shutterstock

There are notable street art hubs around the globe, where various other forms, including Graffiti and Murals that once showcased the act of rebellion now, adorn the walls of streets. It showcases the creativity and culture of the urban landscape. There are several destinations worldwide with their unique style and artistic charm. Berlin is one such hub, especially the east side of Berlin which stands as an Iconic testament. The remains of Berlin walls symbolize unity and freedom, adorned with beautiful murals and stencils. Another famous hub is Sao Paolo, which was influenced by the Hip-Hop culture of New York City. The vibrant Batman Alley in the Vila Mandela neighborhood is to be noticed, it attracts both local and international artists alike.

Batman Alley of Sao Paolo, Brazil

Lodhi Art District is India’s first-ever art district, Initiated by the St+Art Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The organization Invited more than 50 renowned street artists from across the world. Lodhi Art District houses over 54 murals that take on versatile themes, from social issues to environmental issues to marginalized and vulnerable communities like LGBTQ to Indian culture and values. Many of them have been inspired by the residents and visitors of the Lodhi Colony (Travel Melodies, Lodhi Art District, Delhi: India’s First Open-Air Art Museum, 2023).

Lodhi Art District, Yokshreyo reveals, a photo by Pranav Gohil

The Impact of Street Art can be seen in Urban Culture, it has transformed the cities into open-air art galleries, which attract both tourists and locals. It has changed the experience for travelers and tourists alike, now people explore overlooked neighborhoods. While museums and art galleries are famous landmarks, this adds a layer of authenticity and cultural immersion to a destination, tourists now seek out such art districts and guided tours, engaging with the local art scene and connecting with the community (Street Buddha, Transforming Cities into Urban Art Destinations, 2023). It has become a lens through which tourists can understand a city's unique identity and stories, making their travel experiences more meaningful and memorable  (Street Buddha, Transforming Cities into Urban Art Destinations, 2023).  It helps to boost economic growth in the city by attracting more tourists and visitors. It also promotes cultural exchange by bringing both local and international artists to the city. Apart from just boosting the economy and cultural exchange, street art also helps in representing history and raising voices for societal challenges. Moreover, it promotes the artistic scene within the city by making the streets more vibrant and dynamic which leaves a lasting impression on tourists.

Street Art Festival In Ireland

Source - Hookedblog

Street art festivals have a huge impact on promoting creativity in a community, showcasing various forms of urban art. These festivals have transformed traditional art galleries and museums. Such festivals infuse creativity into the urban environment and have transformed the whole city into open-air art galleries, these festivals are organized by the city government or sometimes by independent art foundations. It generates creativity and introduces new styles and ideas. It also creates opportunities for artists and creative individuals to collaborate. These festivals benefit businesses, drive local tourism, and also help the public to engage in art.