Street Art is Now Main Street. The Beginning of the End.

File this under Gripes:

MSN has a "trending now" column that today talks about Street Art. I have very mixed feelings about street art "trending now". I am concerned that it will become commodified.  Street Art has been and will always be art. I think that the valuation (and sadly ultimate commodification) of graffiti via auction houses and galleries has moved public opinion to value it but even before it became "cool" it was always art. Once something has become "popular" it becomes ruined. Let's keep street art on the outside please. Oh, and by the way, "rad"?? That is soooo 2011.

Here is the MSN piece:

14 acts of graffiti that blur the line between art and vandalism

3 hrs ago

Best Internet comment on this piece: "We’re going to need a bigger wall."

A stunning shot of a rebellious couple stealing a kiss while being led away in handcuffs after a self-described “graffiti spree” has been reigniting a cultural debate over art and graffiti. At its best graffiti is art in an unexpected place, but even at its most casual can be heartening evidence of the human spirit at play. (And at its worst can be pretty freaking annoying.) But, much like the couple, would graffiti be as striking if it weren’t sticking it to the man? As graffiti increasingly makes its way into galleries, with artists like Banksy’s illegal public works getting chiseled off walls by collectors, is graffiti cool because it’s outlawed? Or is good imagery rad no matter what?