Now’s The Time – a street art exhibition

Black Rat Projects will be hosting their upcoming exhibition ‘Now’s the Time’ – a celebration of contemporary street art featuring works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Banksy, Barry McGee, Faile and Os Gemeos at Black Rat Gallery East London, from 22nd April – 20th May 2010. Now’s the Time’ will bring together some of the most influential street artists of the modern era.

Street art is unequivocally subversive and compelling. What fundamentally unites street artists is a subversive flouting of the establishment, accompanied by a thirst for aesthetic innovation and democratic expression.

The urban environment is the ultimate facilitator of accessible art forms. The freedom to communicate directly with the viewer outside of a traditional gallery environment has not only allowed art to be seen much more as an integrated part of everyday life, but has also introduced the dialogue between artist and audience to a far greater extent than ever before.

Captivated by the lawless energy and public accessibility of the graffiti underground, many emerging young artists in 1980s New York were inspired to work alongside the graffitists on subway station platforms and city walls. Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring were at the forefront of the street art movement, making the transition from underdog to art icons. In their wake, they have inspired a new wave of urban visual artists; artists to whom the street is their canvas and every man their audience.

Whilst often appearing irreverent, contemporary street artists such as Banksy have pioneered the street art aesthetic as an accessible communicator of socio-political commentary. Similarly Basquiat’s cultivation of a neo-expressionist graffiti aesthetic to critique racial inequality was unprecedented in its innovation.

Named after Jean Michel Basquiat’s seminal 1985 painting, ‘Now’s The Time’ celebrates the legacy and future of modern street art. Featuring diverse works by artists including Jean Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Swoon and Banksy, ‘Now’s The Time’ seeks to laud the subversive innovation of some of street art’s greatest masters and capture the dynamic spirit of its trajectory.

Address: Thru Cargo Garden, Arch 461, Kingsland Viaduct, 83 Rivington Street, London. EC2A 3AY.
Nearest tube – Liverpool St / Old St
Dates – 22nd April – 20th May 2010
Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 6pm. Saturday 11am – 4pm
Entry: Free
Information: 020 7613 7200