INDEX
A Message from the Marginalized at the Core
The style of street art eventually spread from the United States to Europe. The exhibition features works by renowned French street artists such as Speedy Graphito, Invader, JR, and Madame.
For example, let’s look at the work by Thirsty Bstrd titled “In Case of Bankruptcy Break Glass.” A large glass cover is placed in front of Banksy’s “Girl with Balloon,” with the words “IN CASE OF BANKRUPTCY BREAK GLASS” written on it (making it impossible to see the artwork…). It resembles the emergency buttons you see on trains, with the message “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS (Break the glass and press the button in case of emergency).” By linking Banksy and bankruptcy, this piece sharply critiques the art scene where Banksy’s works are bought and sold at record-breaking prices, reducing them to mere assets. In the background, Zevs’s “Liquefied Chanel Logo” is also straightforward, but it made me realize once again that much of street art stands with the marginalized, containing messages that seem to glare at society from a position of defiance.
