Urban (R)Evolution

Cultural Affairs Collective

Coarderia Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal

Junio 2023 – December 2023

Since its inception in the form of graffiti in the 1970s, urban art has experienced spectacular growth in metropolitan areas around the world. Working with 18 artists from different generations, Urban [R]evolution highlights the origins and evolution of an artistic revolution that has emerged from the streets.

The key characteristics that bring these artists together in a multi-generational movement are practices informed by working in the urban environment, the resulting development of a wide range of styles and techniques, and a commitment to connecting with the public. Qualities that make urban art, in its essence, truly accessible to a wide audience.

Placing art in public space is a powerful statement that challenges traditional power structures. An often-repeated act that has inspired artists and audiences across time and place. In the 1970s, in New York City, young artists, known as graffiti writers, painted on city walls and subway trains, creating art for all to see for free. Freshly painted trains circulated across the city pulling into stations to the amazement of morning commuters.

Decades later, graffiti inspired street art, which is perhaps the most popular art genre in the world today. Various forms of street art can be found in most major urban areas around the world. At its core, however, it is deliberately relatable. Street artists use iconic imagery, spectacle, humour, and many other strategies to create work that is easily understood by the public. The work is placed in prominent locations in public spaces where everyone can see it. In addition, street artists often sell limited edition prints at prices much lower than a unique work of art. Creating work that is relatable may be the key to the genre's global appeal. 

The exhibiting artists converge in their ability and commitment to work in public space. Unlike the predominantly white walls of a museum, city walls are messy and chaotic. In order to stand out in the chaos of the urban environment and to distinguish themselves artistically, urban artists have developed a unique visual language and style in response to working on the street. The multiplicity of styles ranges from graffiti-inspired lettering to bold figuration, wildly colourful abstraction as well as a variety of materials including paint, paper, and even carving. Whether it is on city walls or within the immersive environments created for this exhibition, their creative flexibility undoubtedly stems from a search for space within the urban environment. 

The photographs displayed throughout the exhibition provide a visual narrative of the history and evolution of urban art. The images clearly illustrate the harsh conditions that gave rise to graffiti, one of the first truly global art movements. In fact, it was the early photographs themselves that inspired young people as the images spread across the planet in books and media. 

In contrast to the traditional means of learning an artistic discipline at a prestigious academy focused on dance, music, or the visual arts, the practices of graffiti, breakdancing, and hip-hop emerged from the gritty and impoverished streets of bankrupt New York. Ironically, it was the lack of formal training that provided a low barrier to entry, the action taking place in public space and the defiant yet aspirational spirit of expression that stimulated the adoption of the genre across the globe. 

Urban [R]evolution showcases this diversity and openness, demonstrating the accessibility and dissemination that this global movement has experienced since its inception.

Text by Pauline Foessel & Pedro Alonzo