Google's Street (Art) View
Tuesday, July 08, 2014 - 08:00 AM
When the graffiti landmark 5Pointz was whitewashed last
November, a certain subset of the art community went into mourning. The
industrial block on the outskirts of Queens had become a pilgrimage
site for street artists from all over the world. But after a decade, the
owner began to demolish the buildings to make way for
luxury apartments, and painted over the walls before tearing them down.
The move highlighted the central dilemma of street art: artists don't
own the walls on which they work.
But Google is taking the best of what it does and the best of what the internet can do to preserve street art and make it accessible.
Launched by Google’s Cultural Institute just last month, The Street Art Project is an expanding catalog of street art images (more than 5000 so far) taken from Google Street View, which launched in 2007. There are several different portals into the collection, including interactive maps and more than 100 curated exhibitions by nearly 30 global partners, including the Global Street Art Foundation and São Paulo Street Art.
Our favorite feature is the Street View experience that lets you look around iconic street art spaces, like Tour Paris 13 or Sixe and Chu, Canard and Castillo in Buenos Aires — sites which could be the next to suffer 5Pointz's fate.
And in another gallery, you can turn back the clock on 5Pointz. It's gone, but not forgotten.
But Google is taking the best of what it does and the best of what the internet can do to preserve street art and make it accessible.
Launched by Google’s Cultural Institute just last month, The Street Art Project is an expanding catalog of street art images (more than 5000 so far) taken from Google Street View, which launched in 2007. There are several different portals into the collection, including interactive maps and more than 100 curated exhibitions by nearly 30 global partners, including the Global Street Art Foundation and São Paulo Street Art.
Our favorite feature is the Street View experience that lets you look around iconic street art spaces, like Tour Paris 13 or Sixe and Chu, Canard and Castillo in Buenos Aires — sites which could be the next to suffer 5Pointz's fate.
And in another gallery, you can turn back the clock on 5Pointz. It's gone, but not forgotten.
5Pointz after the whitewash, 12.02.13, Long Island City (Street Art NYC)
Jerms and Topaz Graffiti, 10.14.13, Long Island City (Street Art NYC)
Kid Lew, 08.07.13, Long Island City (Street Art NYC)
Meres, 06.20.13, Long Island City (Street Art NYC)
Rimx and Nepo, 07.21.13, Long Island City (Street Art NYC)
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Comments [2]
@Joe,
Let's make a distinction between graffiti - these wall murals are very well made. I do consider them art, and I do make the distinction between some random scribble [which is an eye soar] to these thoughtful, well designed pieces of outdoor wall art.
There is a whole composed art piece going on with these graffiti.
Painting over them was a loss to the city's urban culture.
Let's make a distinction between graffiti - these wall murals are very well made. I do consider them art, and I do make the distinction between some random scribble [which is an eye soar] to these thoughtful, well designed pieces of outdoor wall art.
There is a whole composed art piece going on with these graffiti.
Painting over them was a loss to the city's urban culture.
Jul. 08 2014 03:02 PM
Score: 0/0
Score: 0/0
Excellent idea. Let's banish
*all* graffiti to the online realm, where people who consider it "art"
and want to look at it can do so. Then those of us who consider graffiti
to be an eyesore won't have to look at it. Ah, one can dream...
Jul. 08 2014 02:11 PM
Score: 0/0
