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comment by thenewgreen
thenewgreen  ·  4761 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Freakonomics » The World’s Most Expensive Photograph
I'm not sure it belongs in a gallery. It would be like seeing a stuffed animal on a wall. Does it look cool? Sure. Would it look better in it's natural environment? Absolutely.

Also, it takes away the whole, "I've seen a Banksy" aspect. The fleeting nature is one of the aspects that makes it great, like a meteor shower or a "murmuration".

I also like that street art evolves as the surrounding evolve.

I can see both sides too but think I more "anti"-gallery.





b_b  ·  4761 days ago  ·  link  ·  
in principle, i agree that street art belongs where it was created. the surroundings are a part of the piece itself, and to take away the context is to completely change the meaning (and the value) of the piece.

the dynamic here is a little nuanced, however. there is a big struggle in detroit between preservationists and those who want to tear everything down and erase the memory of the failed past. most of the younger crowd--those who are repopulating the city, including the owners of 555 Gallery who now possess the Banksy--fall on the side of preservation; most of the city's establishment fall on the side of "progress" (for lack of a better word).

This was best embodied by a big fight over Tiger Stadium, which was involved in a court battle for years, but the site now sits as a fenced in vacant lot. The Banksy was moved, I think, so that in the future, when all of the court battle are lost and the whole city is a vacant lot, there will be a reminder that there used to be something cool here.

Or, the cynical view is that they saw a piece by a famous artist that was free for the taking, and they wanted to increase traffic to their gallery. That can't be discounted.

thenewgreen  ·  4761 days ago  ·  link  ·  
The cynic in me assumes the latter.