San Francisco Bay Area Street Art are any visual images created in public places such as on walls or street walk ways. Street art is often developed in order to create artworks that are outside of the scope of normalized art standards. Street Art has been a major part of the Bay Area's culture since the early 1980s. As the years went on street art became more and more prevalent in the Bay Area. While in some areas of San Francisco this art is done with the permission of the wall owners the majority is done illegally.
The San Francisco Bay Area is highly invested in the street art scene because of its prevalence in its community. Areas such as the Mission District of San Francisco have developed a wide public fan base because of its large murals. This area of San Francisco is home to one of the most famous pieces of street art, the Women's Building mural. This mural is known for how representative of all different women it is. It contains many different famous women as well as women of color. Murals such as this exist all over the Bay Area along with simple graffiti which is less approved of by the public. Both types of art are representative of the artist and the message they want to get across. There are a lot of famous Bay Area artists that are well known for their work here as well as spreading across the globe.
A main controversy surrounding street art in the Bay Area is that it is a major sign of "social disorder." Street art in San Francisco is considered controversial because it vandalizes public spaces, while also providing art that people like to look at. On one hand the art that created vandalizes public property but on the other hand it is creating something for tourists and people in general to look at in their daily lives. Another main controversy is that most street artists do not get the punishment that is stated in California law for vandalizing public property. Street art is illegal and the law enforcement agency in this area has been strictly implementing laws against street art to prevent further damage to city property.
History
Graffiti began in the Bay Area around the early 1980s. It began as a means of expression for young children in this area. This changed when paint became illegal for anyone under 18 to buy. People began to get into street art later in life and art became more developed. When graffiti started it was generally neighborhood or gang related. Around the mid-1980s graffiti became about placing one's signature everywhere they possibly could. Everyone had a unique tag and would be able to differentiate whose was whose. Artists from New York and other areas came to the Bay Area and developed the Bay Area's style. The Hip Hop movement further developed the street art culture as well. Eventually these individual graffiti artists got together and formed separate crews. Around the time that crews began to form street art developed dramatically. The art went from simple name scribbles to bigger more colorful pieces of art. Street art from here on out slowly developed through different big movements in this area. Separations between different graffiti crews caused people to create new forms of graffiti. There are many places in the Bay Area that were designated as very big places for artists to showcase their work.
Movements
Early 1980s
Initially graffiti was limited to tagging, and the main point at this time was to write your tag in as many places as possible. People developed their tags in different ways, and the majority of people dedicated their lives to painting this tag. At this time major pictures and big pieces were not important but rather getting a signature on the wall. At this time graffiti artists consisted of young kids and adults who were able to buy or steal spray paint.
The Mission District
This movement began in the 1990s, started by San Francisco art students who made their art in public places. Mission School was a graffiti movement that developed for these students to get recognition for their work. The Mission District in San Francisco has developed into one of the most well known places for street art. The art in this area developed simple graffiti into more accepted and appreciated art.