The project focuses on the local history of urban art. It attempts to outline this emerging art form and comprehensively summarize its dynamics. In order to position the Antwerp scene in the global movement and in the contemporary art world, it is necessary to define/outline the Belgian style, which should be understood as the result of the local artistic attitude. Therefore the core of the project is to explore the genealogy of this art form in Antwerp.
When did graffiti first happen in Antwerp and what influences were most significant? How was the subculture formed/modified since its occurrence and how was it canonized by the art world? What are the unique attributes of the local styles?
The study offers a concrete and well-documented view of the historical background, in order to be adoptable for art curators and theorists.
