Street Art – love it or hate it, it’s here to stay

Street Art – love it or hate it, it’s here to stay. I first saw this art form in America.

Many will tell you that it developed from graffiti, which is abundant in the US. I think street art is a real talking point.

It can be seen on buildings, streets, trains, buses and other publicly visible surfaces. In many cases, it comes in the form of “gorilla art,” which is intended to make a personal statement about the society in which the artist believes.

So street art is mainly images, whereas graffiti is based on words, images and symbols and to me it’s quite abrupt and ugly. The most popular street art is done on walls, one of the top pieces is Balloon Girl.

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It depicts a young girl, her hair and dress blowing forward, holding out a heart-shaped balloon. This piece is located in London’s Southbank and is by the iconic Banksy.

His name conjures up so many stories because he is invisible. It’s a fascinating story, and in fact a lost BBC interview with Banksy has been unearthed in which the mysterious artist appears to reveal what his first name is.

In the 2003 recording, BBC reporter Nigel Wrench asks him if his name is Robert Banks, to which the artist replies: “It’s Robbie”. The full interview can be heard on BBC sounds, Radio 4 – the Banksy story.

Last year I went to Israel and Palestine to see its treasures and I went looking for a Banksy artwork in Gaza. I think I was one of the last tourists and I was speechless at what was happening there.

I read recently that an unexpected figure appeared on the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza, a playful kitten adorned with a red bow. This street gem is another Banksy.

A splash of fun in a landscape of devastation. Next week I want to explore street art on Merseyside, let’s talk about Paul Curtis and Brezaux, plus street art murals in New Brighton, as CEO Dan Davies of Rockpoint Leisure transformed the Victoria Quarter.

What do you think of street art?