Wandering around the UK streets, it’s almost as if Banksy never existed.
Sadly, the urban environment often feels like a satire free zone.
Sure: there is an instagram full of colorful street art designs. Celebrities, ornate tags, yadayada. But jeez, am I’m tired of seeing the same old vapid graf.
Sigh
This is a missed opportunity.
Look: I want street art that makes me FEEL something. A laugh, an idea. That’s not afraid to take risks and push boundaries. We need street art that’s willing to tackle the big issues, like climate change, inequality, or why pineapple does or does not belong on pizza.
We need street art that really speaks to us, that makes us laugh, or makes us think.
Street art has the potential for powerful social and political commentary. A unique ability to reach people in a way that traditional forms of art cannot. That’s not easy: it requires thought, planning and practice. But the rewards can be immense, both for the artist and for society as a whole.
Give us some passion, dammit!
So, to all you street artists out there, it’s time to up your game! Don’t just slap your name on a wall, make us laugh, make us cry, make us question our existence!
And who knows, maybe one day we’ll look back on this time as the golden age of street art. Or, at the very least, we’ll have some cool murals to post on Instagram.