Art Basel and associated exhibitions are currently taking place in South Florida. A new exhibition at the Museum of Graffiti in Miami chronicles the origins and development of graffiti and street art, an art form that has become associated with the city.
The Museum of Graffiti, situated in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood, positions itself as the world's first museum dedicated to graffiti and street art. The Wynwood area is characterized by numerous large, colorful murals on building exteriors.
Among the museum's exhibits are items related to artists' materials, such as vintage cans of Rust-oleum spray paint. Museum founder and curator Alan Ket showcased a 1973 Cascade green Rust-oleum can, a color historically favored by graffiti artists.
Ket and a partner established the museum six years ago to document this art movement. The movement originated in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s, with individuals applying their names (tagging) on various urban surfaces.
Artist Jon Perello, known as JonOne, began tagging in New York City approximately 50 years ago. He later produced art on New York subway cars, which he viewed as a moving exhibition accessible to a diverse audience. This practice was often classified as vandalism by authorities.
A shift occurred as some artists began transferring their work from public spaces to gallery settings. The Razor gallery show in 1973 is identified as a pivotal moment, as it represented the initial instance of young street artists' work being featured in a New York gallery.
In the decades following this exhibition, graffiti has expanded globally and gained acceptance within the art world, by luxury brands, and by governmental entities. Works by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy have commanded significant prices. Cities worldwide now commission street artists for large-scale public art projects.
Ket has consulted with museums on exhibitions focusing on graffiti and street art. He notes that the art form has not yet received full recognition from established art institutions, particularly concerning its inclusion in permanent collections, despite its widespread popular appeal. This observation influenced the decision to open the Museum of Graffiti. JonOne stated that street art continues to carry a certain social stigma.
JonOne's solo exhibition is scheduled to run at the Miami Museum of Graffiti through June. The "Origins" exhibition, which details the movement's beginnings and features works from the seminal 1973 show, will be on display through the end of the year.