BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON is an amazing fun and informative exhibition opening today with over 100 international artists. The exhibition is the most comprehensive graffiti & street art show ever to open in the UK and takes over the entire Saatchi Gallery.
The show features new works, large-scale installations, original ephemera and fashion that captures the powerful impact of graffiti & street art across the world.
Curated by graffiti historian Roger Gastman, the show aims to explore the fundamental human need for public self-expression, highlighting artists with roots in graffiti and street art whose work has evolved into highly disciplined studio practices, alongside important cultural figures inspired by this art scene.
The exhibition explores exceptional moments in the history of this artistic movement; including the emergence of punk; the birth of hip-hop – marking its 50th anniversary in 2023.
About BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON
With every exhibition we’ve put together I always learn something new and London is no exception. The amount of stories and historical moments–some of which may have been forgotten and arguably unknown until now–are what will make our Saatchi Gallery show such a spectacle. We really hope to educate and inspire through a curious lens that digs into the nooks and crannies of all these subcultures and the massive role London played in bringing them to light on a world stage.
Curator, Roger Gastman.
Upon entering Saatchi Gallery, you get to explore the graffiti-filled installation The Vandal’s Bedroom by American artist Todd James, whose works have been exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale.
In ‘Music & Art Converge’, you can explore the socio-political turmoil of the late 70s and 80s, where the decline of cities met artistic resistance, a shift which was felt in both the US and UK. Youth culture responded by painting graffiti on walls and public transport, creating art that reflected and reimagined the times in an explosion of expression on the streets. It was about identity in the face of oppression, self-awareness, and self-discovery in a moment of a depleted economic outlook.
Through music and art, London meets New York, featuring works including FUTURA2000’s legendary 30 ft. painting, made on stage with The Clash, displayed along with the unparalleled contributions from Malcom McLaren, MODE2 and American photojournalist Martha Cooper. Visitors will also be encouraged to browse and enjoy music at Trash Records, an interactive installation within a fully recreated record shop.
In ‘Social Commentary: Graffiti as a message’; ‘Art with Conscience’ you get to see works by hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy, and; in the amazing installation ‘Consideration Into Innovation’ Lisbon-based artist, VHILS, who innovatively utilizes repurposed materials to reimagine city walls.
In ‘The Next Phase’ you get to engage with new op-art works by Valencia based artist Felipe Pantone, whose high-contrast, geometric patterns continue to challenge perspective making you enter the digital through the physical.
No area of Saatchi Gallery is left untouched works and ephemera are on view across hallways, tunnels and staircases including a wall of Jenny Holzer’s truisms; Henry Chalfant’s photography of NYC train writers in action; together with AIKO’s timeless stencilling of delicate silhouettes and Gordon Matta-Clark’s extraordinary archive of graffiti photography.
The ‘Dream Galleries’ focuses on a selection of American and European originators, photo documentarians and cultural icons who helped contextualize and spread graffiti culture around the world. In André Saraiva’s Dream series, there is a visual articulation of how graffiti, street art, hip-hop, punk, fashion and break-dancing all sprung from the late 1970s and early 1980s into the 90s and today, and became a hybrid celebration of underground culture. Featured artists include Mister CARTOON, most famously known for his tattooing and Los Angeles murals; an extraordinary Beastie Boys installation featuring fashion and ephemera from the band’s prolific history; and LADY PINK’s feminist murals, illustrations and paintings.
In ‘Legends’ icons such as legendary NYC artist, Eric HAZE, a torch bearer for generations to come; a new large-scale painting by abstract expressionist artist José Parlá; advertisement posters by KAWS, a prominent creative force; and unique ephemera by Keith Haring, one of the most popular street artists of the 1980s.
In ‘Blockbusters’ new commissioned works have been specifically for the show by graffiti trailblazer Shepard Fairey & LA-based activist FAILE.
In ‘Larger Than Life’ LA-based icon Kenny Scharf has created a site-specific large-scale installation Cosmic Cavern consisting of Day-Glo paintings, ephemera, and reused materials found in the streets of LA. This chapter will also includes signature puppet characters made from recycled materials by Paul Insect.
The ‘Timeline’ chapter features street culture history through archival photography, ephemera and fashion to contextualize the cross-pollination of influences across music, fashion and film also included a large wall vinyl by infamous feminist collective Guerrilla Girls.
Exhibiting artists:
10Foot, AIKO, Alicia McCarthy, André Saraiva, BÄST, Beastie Boys, Beezer, Bert Krak, BLADE, BLONDIE, Bob Gruen, Brassaï, Broken Fingaz, C. R. Stecyk III, CES, Charlie Ahearn, Chaz Bojórquez, Chris FREEDOM Pape, Christopher Stead, Conor Harrington, CORNBREAD, Craig Costello, CRASH, DABSMYLA, Dash Snow, DAZE, DELTA, DONDI, Duncan Weston, Dr. REVOLT, Eric HAZE, Escif, Estevan Oriol, Fab 5 Freddy, FAILE, Felipe Pantone, FUME, FUTURA2000, Glen E. Friedman, GOLDIE, Gordon Matta-Clark, Gregory Rick, Guerrilla Girls, Gus Coral, Henry Chalfant, HuskMitNavn, IMON BOY, Jaimie D’Cruz, Jamie Reid, Janette Beckman, Jason REVOK, Jenny Holzer, Joe Conzo, John Ahearn & Rigoberto Torres, José Parlá, KATSU, KAWS, KC ORTIZ, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, KING MOB, LADY PINK, Lawrence Watson, Lisa Kahane, Malcolm McLaren, Maripol, Martin Jones, Martha Cooper, Maya Hayuk, Michael Holman, Michael Lawrence, Mister CARTOON, MODE 2, Ozzie Juarez, Pablo Allison, Pat Phillips, Paul Insect, POSE, PRIDE, PRIEST, Richard Colman, RISK, Robert 3D Del Naja,Roger Perry, Shepard Fairey, SHOE, Sophie Bramly, STASH, Stephen ESPO Powers, Stickymonger, SWOON, TAKI 183, Toby Mott, TOX, Tim Conlon, Timothy Curtis, Tish Murtha, Todd James, VHILS , ZEPHYR and more to be announced.
BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON 17th February – 9th May 2023 Saatchi Gallery
