deBuren

© Street Art Belgium

Street artists like Banksy or Space Invader are becoming increasingly mainstream and can be seen in books, exhibitions, art galleries and the news. Street art has become commercial. In fact, Jonathan Jones of The Guardian goes so far as to say that street art is dying because of this commercialization. Art galleries present the work simply because it's street art. Street art is hot, but is the art world still critical enough?

The term ‘street art' is confusing. Is it all art that shows up in public spaces outside of the official channels, such as graffiti, stickers, stencils and posters? Is the space where art appears decisive for the label street art? Or is it rather a certain style? A movement or a genre? Can this art form arise and thrive indoors, as long as the artist is a street artist?

These questions are central during a debate about the fine line between street and commercial art. We examine the concept of street art from different angles and pose these questions to artists, dealers and scientists. 

Speakers: Bjørn Van Poucke (Street Art Belgium), street artist A Squid Called Sebastian and Rapael Cruyt (Alice Gallery). Tom Jaspers (Amsterdamse Straatkunstprijs) will be the moderator.

Organization: deBuren, Street Art Belgium and the Beursschouwburg