Documentarian Ian Currie explores the history of street art in Barcelona in thisbigcity – and includes this fascinating graphic:
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If a zero-tolerance policy is adopted towards Street Art, undeveloped tagging will go on the increase. Professional artists will move to other countries. Unrest, especially among the budding Street artists will grow. The population is deprived of a powerful art form, one that has many silent benefits.
Here in Barcelona, the government has been relentless in its crackdown on Street Art since 2004. They have criminalized it on the grounds that it is ugly and is a visual contamination, but just as with wildfires, their actions just make it uglier. We recognize that the antagonism between government and Street artists is “natural” in a way, but things have gone too far. The current legislation does not benefit the Street artists, the governments, or the public.
