Free Press Houston Houston's only locally owned alternative newspaper
By Laura Coburn
The City of Houston official website says “Houston treats graffiti as a crime, not a prank.” But graffiti is more than a prank and more than vandalism; It is art with the buildings and streets as the canvas.
The exhibit “Call it Street Art, Call it Fine Art, Call it What You Know” at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art illuminates the artistic nature behind street art and graffiti. The show is a continuation of previous exhibit HX8, Houston Times Eight, displaying similar imaginative and powerful work by contemporary Houston artists. The exhibit features 21 local graffiti and mural artists who have all contributed to coloring the public spaces of Houston.
Most of the participating artists are self-taught and express themselves without the confines that often accompany traditional art. As street artists, they are able to transform ideas into visual depictions in creative ways with no limits (except the law and available space). Today, street art is engrained in the Houston culture and brings vibrancy to the city.
By placing the work in a museum setting, the artwork adopts a different connotation than if it were on the side of a building. The work now has the credibility to demand its deserved respect for the artistic and creative efforts that went into its creation.
Participating artists include Anat Ronen, Lee Washington, Michael C. Rodriguez, Dual, Skeez181, Deck WGF, Sebastien “Mr. D” Boileu, Eyesore, the Death Head, and more.
To learn more visit the Station Museum of Contemporary Art’s website: www.stationmuseum.com
Houston,TX 77004
