Graffiti & Street art
Is a form of artwork that is displayed in a community on its surrounding buildings, streets, and other publicly viewed surfaces. Many pieces of street art come in the form of guerrilla art, which is a work that is composed to make a public statement about the society that the artist lives within. The work of street artists has moved from the beginnings of graffiti and vandalism to modern day guerrilla art where the artists are working to get powerful messages across to the viewers.

Street art can come in many forms as in recent years, the term has become an umbrella term for any work of art that is created or placed in a public area. Included within this term, are certain works of graffiti that have been decidedly labeled as works of art rather than works of vandalism. Due to the very subtle difference between street art and graffiti, it has come into debate for many whether certain works quality as art or not. While the difference between the two may be subtle, it is used as a differentiator for those who review and analyze the works everyday.

Artists have challenged art by situating it in non-art contexts. Street artists do not aspire to change the definition of an artwork, but rather to question the existing environment with its own language. The motivations and objectives that drive street artists are as varied as the artists themselves. ‘Street’ artists attempt to have their work communicate with everyday people about socially relevant themes in ways that are informed by esthetic values without being imprisoned by them. There is a strong current of activism and subversion in urban art. Street art can be a powerful platform for reaching the public and a potent form of political expression for the oppressed, or people with little resources to create change. Common variants include adbusting, subvertising and other culture jamming, the abolishment of private property and reclaiming the streets. (wikipedia)