Gatakonst

Gatakonst refers to street art, a form of public visual art created in streets or other open public spaces, outside traditional galleries. It encompasses works made with spray paint, stencil, wheatpaste, stickers, murals, and installation.

It began with graffiti writing in the late 1960s and 1970s in New York and Philadelphia, evolving into broader street art in the 1980s and 1990s with artists using stencils and posters; by the 2000s it spread globally, incorporating conceptual interventions and social or political messages.

It is often illicit or unsanctioned, but many cities commission legal walls or murals; the line between vandalism and public art has been debated; street art can be site-specific and responsive to urban context.

Notable figures include Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Os Gemeos, Blu, JR, and Swoon; global scenes develop in cities such as Berlin, São Paulo, London, New York and Melbourne.

Contemporary status: Gatakonst intersects with contemporary art, design, and social practice; galleries may host street-art-based exhibitions; it has influenced advertising and graphic design; reception ranges from admiration for creativity to concerns about property damage.