Image via Complex Original
One could arguably say that street art has staked its place in mainstream culture for a while now, but it has always stood on shaky ground when it comes to the fine art market. Let's be real: it's hard to know your chances at making it if you're not a street art superstar like Mr. Brainwash or Shepard Fairey. At the same time, the number of galleries dedicated to street art and urban culture has only been growing, which means that this alternative medium is slowly becoming more accepted by art buyers and fine arts institutions.
Although their deals might not be as good as the day that Banksy sold his pieces on the street for $60, there are many places around the globe that represent talented, well-known and underground urban artists. Some might argue that institutionalizing street art is disrupting its purpose, but at the same time galleries are helping bring street artists long overdue attention. Whether or not you're thinking about buying any pieces for yourself, check out these Street Art Galleries You Should Know About to catch up on what's going on in the world of urban art.
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Les Bains
Location: Paris
Artists represented: ASH, Atlas, Space Invader, Jérôme MESNAGER, SKKI, SOWAT, STEN LEX, VHILS, Gérard Zlotykamien
Jean-Pierre Marois, the landlord of an empty 130-year-old bathhouse in Paris, founded La Société des Bains, in order to renovate and preserve a landmark of Parisian history. The space is currently hosting an artist's residency, where artists like Atlas and Space Invader can use the whole building however they want, like a blank canvas. These artists, who are commissioned by the celebrated gallery owner Magda Danysz, have the chance to remodel the famous space that used to host the likes of Basquiat, Joy Division, and Warhol into a brand new creative mecca.
Urban Spree Galerie
Location: Berlin, Germany
Artists represented: Julia Benz, Broken Fingaz, Prost, Alaniz, DRYPNZ, Blo, Vanessa Rosa, MC Fitti, Justin Person, Duncan Passmore, Blue and Joy
Urban Spree Galerie is a Berlin-based independent contemporary art gallery that is set up in a post-industrial compound with an outdoor bar and concert venue. Basically, this place is a one-stop shop for German urban culture. Urban Spree also hosts independent film screenings and after parties (both usually including free alcohol).
Joshua Liner Gallery
Location: New York
Artists represented: Greg Lamarche, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Thomas Campbell, Oliver Vernon, Dave Kinsey, Alfred Steiner
Founded in 2008 in Chelsea, Joshua Liner Gallery presents established and emerging artists from around the globe. Although the gallery doesn't solely focus on street art, you will find plenty of relevant artists, like Greg Lamarche and Tomokasu Matsuyama, who play a role in the street art dialogue.
StolenSpace Gallery
Location: London
Artists represented: Andrew McAttee, Arth Daniels, Charles Krafft, Charlie Anderson, Cyrcle., D*Face, David Bray, Joram Roukes, Kai & Sunny, Meryl Donoghue, Miss Van, Mysterious Al, Roa, Ronzo, Seen, Shepard Fairey, The London Police, Usugrow, Will Barras, Word to Mother
With a neon sign and black brick storefront, you can already tell how cool the gallery is when you walk up to it. StolenSpace Gallery exhibits artists with backgrounds in graffiti and street art, but not exclusively. They simply have an appreciation for the aesthetics of urban art and the subcultures that surround it. They are currently having an exhibit that features the likes of Shepard Fairey, C215, and Arth Daniels, along with other huge names in the business.
INOPERAbLE
Location: Vienna, Austria
Artists represented: Aryz, Atzgerei, Busk, C215, Chrisitee, Christian Eisenberger, deerBLN, Die Made, Emilone, Ghostpatrol, Graffiti Research Lab, JanaundJS, Keramik, Kryot, Labrona, Lastplak, Nychos, Other, Pfkt World, Permanent Unit, SatOne, Tara McPherson, Tika, UR New York, Zoe Byland
INOPERAbLE is an art space that features contemporary urban culture with a focus on street art, a theme that is not commonly seen in Vienna. They present and sell original works, limited edition books, posters, and other merchandise from street artists, so the gallery functions as a platform for street artists in the often overlooked local street art scene.
Backwoods Gallery
Location: Victoria, Australia
Artists represented: Ghost Patrol, Mark Bode, Stanislava Pinchuk, TwoOne, Usugrow, Stephen Ives, Shohei Otomo, Stabs, Beastman
Backwoods is an excellent example of the thriving urban art culture Down Under. They are currently featuring Jun Inoue, a Japanese street artist, whose Eastern art traditions blend with Western street aesthetics. In case you can't afford to pieces they have for sale, they also have a shop where they sell clothes designed by some of the artists they feature.
Hang-Up Gallery
Location: London
Artists represented: Carne Griffiths, Copyright, Elbow Toe, Hera, King Robbo, Matt Small, Smash 137, Swoon
Hang-Up was first formed in 2008 as an online gallery for street art, specializing in highly collectible and sought after limited edition prints. Renamed as Hang-Up Urban, it has now grown to become Europe's leading online urban art gallery. Their website allows you to buy art, as well as sell your own art, but they now they have an exhibition space in London where they feature innovative contemporary artists.
Black Pop
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Artists represented: Pure Evil, Jan Klein, Pipsqueak, Dot Dot Dot, Svend Sømod, Haha, Ole Ahlberg, Contemporary Masters, AWAC, Banksy, VxMadsen, Casva, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jittagarn Kaewtinkoy, Beejoir, Cyclops, Asger Bjørn, Mau Mau, Mantis, Dface, Matthew Small, Martin Whatson, Zak Ové, NUAX
Scandinavians know their shit when it comes to contemporary art, so it comes as no surprise that one of the coolest galleries in the world is in Denmark's capital. Located at the First Hotel G, the space offers art at all prices so that art can be accessible to all. You can buy art from them online or at their gallery, so if you're in Denmark and you're interested in buying a Basquiat or a Dot Dot Dot, you know where to go.
Subliminal Projects
Location: Los Angeles
Artists represented: Ryan McGinness, HunterGatherer, David Ellis, Doze Green, Aesthetic Apparatus, Space Invader, Jim Houser, Andrew Jeffery Wright
Subliminal Projects was originally created by Shepard Fairey and Blaize Blouin as an artist collective in 1995 in an effort to tie together skate lifestyle with art and design. Now, Shepard and Amanda Fairey continue to host and curate exhibitions at their space in Echo Park where they hold art exhibitions by established and emerging artists, as well as a lecture series, workshops, and artist publications.
Lazarides
Location: London
Artists represented: 3D, Artists Anonymous, Banksy, Bäst, Conor Harrington, Invader, JR, Katrin Fridriks, Know Hope, Todd James, Vhils
A former gin palace built in the era of William Hogarth's Gin Lane, Lazarides Rathbone opened in 2009 to present talents outside of the art institution to the global art market. They feature major exhibitions in the ground floor space, boutiques and unveilings on the first floor, and a revolving collection of premium works from the company's art division on the top floor. Their current exhibition is on BORF and his transcending works that border the line between graffiti and abstraction.
Jonathan LeVine Gallery
Location: Chelsea, New York
Artists represented: AJ Fosik, Aakash Nihalani, Wallacavage, Alex Gross, Andy Kehoe, Ashley Wood, Audrey Kawasaki, Blek le Rat, Brett Amory, DALeast, Dan Witz, Doze Green, Dylan Egon, EVOL, Eric White, Esao Andrews, Fulvio Di Piazza, Gary Baseman, Gary Taxali, Haroshi, How & Nosm, Invader, Jason deCaires Taylor, Jeff Soto, Jeremy Geddes, Jim Houser, Josh Agle (Shag), Kevin Cyr, Michael Leavitt, Natalia Fabia, Nicola Verlato, Olek, Parra, Pose, Scott Musgrove, Souther Salazar, Stephan Doitschinoff, Tara McPherson, Victor Castillo, WK, and others
From a young age, Jonathan LeVine had an appreciation for the underground scene and counterculture, harboring an affinity for punk band flyers, graffiti, tattoo art, and so forth. In 1995, LeVine opened the Jonathan LeVine Gallery in Chelsea, which celebrates artwork that opposes everything conventional. It has helped fostered the careers of artists like Shepard Fairey, Invader, and more. While the gallery is not only dedicated to street art, this summer their pop-up location hosted "10 Years of Wooster Collective" on some of the most important street artists in history.
Galerie F
Location: Chicago
Artists represented: Adam Pobiak, Aesthetic Apparatus, Amuse, Clam Nation, Cove, David Alvarado, Don't Fret, Frida Clements, Jash, Lil Tuffy, Nice One, Sean Morris, We Are All Outlaws
Galerie F, an art gallery located in Chicago's historic Logan Square, was founded recently in 2012. They claim to be the first open door gallery space in the city, allowing anyone to walk in and check out their featured street artists and print makers. The owners all have a heavy foundation in the world of academia, so their exhibits are all incredibly informative. For example, they recently exhibited unique Roald Dahl prints.
White Walls and Shooting Gallery
Location: San Francisco
Artists represented: APEX, C215, Adam Caldwell, Kevin Cyr, Dabs Myla, Jonathan Darby, Ben Eine, Nick Flatt, Greg Gossel, David Marc Grant, Casey Gray, Chad Hasegawa, Herakut, Hush, Mark Warren Jacques, Ian Johnson, Augustine Kofie, LUDO, Meggs, Niels 'Shoe' Meulman, Michael Page, REKA, Max Rippon (RIPO), ROA, Rone, Adam Rozan, Mike Shine, Skewville, Word To Mother, and others
One of the largest galleries on the West Coast, White Walls and its sister space Shooting Gallery is a must-see destination for anyone interested in urban and contemporary art. Run by Justin Giarla, the Bay Area gallery comprises 5,000 square feet of artwork. Its white walls, from which the gallery gets its name, gives the minimalist, sleek space an airy feel and spotlights the work of its many talented artists.
The Future Tense
Location: London
Artists represented: Lee Baker, Elizabeth Eamer, Katrin Fridriks, Joseph Loughborough, Tom Oldham, Jamie Shaw, Mark Webber, Gérard Rancinan
The Future Tense is an alternative art gallery that moves from venue to venue, with no fixed gallery space. They present exhibitions of forward-thinking street artists at affiliate gallery spaces from London to Texas, creating a global community of people interested in urban art. They also do creative consultation for brands like MTV. Their artists range from traditional to modern.
Klughaus Gallery
Location: New York City
Artists represented: Jurne, Gorey, Rime, Mr. Kiji, Tom Gould, The Yok
Klughaus was first founded in 2011 as a brick and mortar art gallery space in the Lower East Side. Their space focuses on the downtown art community with interactive installations, pop-up shops, and a variety of events in an effort to foster an appreciation for urban art in the Big Apple. The artists they currently represent provide a graphic and humorous alternative to traditional graffiti.