Establishing The Public Space as a Canvas

Aastha Duggal

Today’s Indian street art takes on the same mission with its inclination towards social commentary. From matters of civic welfare to implications of political conditions, street artists choose to address various subjects of concern, often with a satirical disposition – taunting and provoking the people who are responsible, as well as the people who refuse to take responsibility.

Street art refers to the creation of visual art in a public space. It consists of a variety of forms like graffiti, stencils, prints and murals to street installations, as well as performative and video art. Some of the earliest expressions of street art were the graffiti by New York gangs which started showing up on walls in the 1920s as indicators of territory. The impact of this subversive culture was felt later on in the 1980s, when youngsters adopted graffiti as a medium of self-expression and propaganda in reaction to the socio-political conditions of that time.What started off as vandalism was revolutionized into a form of provocation – to bring attention to issues of public concern.