Sotheby’s first-ever street art sale in Hong Kong proves street art is here to stay
Street art is, by its very nature, a transient form of art, subject to the wear and tear of urban life. But with more street artists getting international acclaim, street art is finally making the crossover from the ‘unsanctioned’ territory to the legitimate blue-chip world of art galleries.
Sotheby’s first dedicated street art sale in Hong Kong titled, ‘Take It To The Street’, is one such step in that direction. Featuring 32 works donated by renowned international artists including Invader, Vhils, Shepard Fairey and José Parlá, the auction showcased a wide range of style and media. Be it broken window panes or crushed beer cans, the most unexpected of mediums were transformed to sheer visual delights.
But with street art being elevated to the so-called higher realms of fine art, is it losing its central ethos as a counter-culture movement? Jasmine Chen, Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Specialist, says, “As a fine art category, street art is quite new, as traditionally street artists would stay away from normative places like art galleries and museums. But with a blurring of lines around what art means, it is easier for street artists to come into the fold of fine art without losing their identity. It is for this very reason that the market for street art has exploded recently.”
Indeed, if Sotheby’s ‘Take It To The Street’ sale is anything to go by, art collectors seem genuinely invested, with 100% of the lots being sold. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hong Kong Contemporary Art Foundation to support future exhibitions and events.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
