Coined as the most comprehensive graffiti and street art exhibition to open in the UK, we'll be bringing our traveling exhibition to London’s world-renowned Saatchi Gallery next month. Marking the first time in eight years a show has occupied the entirety of Saatchi Gallery, the exhibition will feature original art, rare ephemera, photography, immersive and site-specific installations, archival fashion, and surprises from over 150 artists, icons, rule-breakers, and mark-makers.
BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON pays homage to the monumental moments from the worlds of graffiti, street art, hip-hop and punk rock as well as the artists who immortalized them. From painting trains to social activism, to the clothes we wear and the soundtracks of our lives, BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON will examine how these cultural narratives shifted the public's perception of underground art and culture — leading to a global creative revolution. BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON is a celebration of graffiti’s core ethos of an innate desire for mark-making and challenging authority. By its very nature, graffiti is ephemeral, its own existence is temporary, but the culture and it's rebellious spirit prevails.
A selection of available works for sale from the exhibition can be viewed HERE.
Following blockbuster exhibitions in Los Angeles in 2018 and New York in 2019, BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON will be curated by Roger Gastman, noted graffiti historian and founder of BEYOND THE STREETS, in conjunction with a team of guest curators.
“The story of graffiti and street art can’t be told without highlighting the significant role London, and the UK in general played in revolutionizing these cultures and continuing to spread the word of their existence. Pushing the global narrative has always been of importance to us and we’re honored to continue telling our story at Saatchi Gallery, whose prestige and impact are unmatched in the UK,” says BEYOND THE STREETS Founder Roger Gastman.
Each of the exhibition’s chapters will explore exceptional moments in the history of this artistic movement; including the emergence of punk; the birth of hip-hop - marking its 50th anniversary in 2023; and street culture’s strong influence in fashion and film.
Upon entering Saatchi Gallery, visitors will explore the graffiti-filled installation The Vandal’s Bedroom by American artist Todd James, whose works have been exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale. In the first chapter ‘Music & Art Converge’, visitors will explore the socio-political turmoil of the late 70s and 80s, where the decline of cities met artistic resistance, a shift which was felt in both the US and UK. Youth culture responded by painting graffiti on walls and public transport, creating art that reflected and reimagined the times in an explosion of expression on the streets. It was about identity in the face of oppression, self-awareness, and self-discovery in a moment of a depleted economic outlook. Through music and art, London meets New York, featuring works including FUTURA2000’s legendary 30 ft. painting, made on stage with The Clash, displayed along with the unparalleled contributions from Malcolm McLaren, MODE2 and American photojournalist Martha Cooper. Visitors will also be encouraged to browse and enjoy music at Trash Records, an interactive installation within a fully recreated record shop.
No area of Saatchi Gallery will be left untouched; visitors will be immersed by works and ephemera on view across hallways, tunnels and staircases and will enter rooms exploring the birth of graffiti like never seen before. These spaces will showcase a wall of Jenny Holzer’s truisms; Henry Chalfant’s photography of NYC train writers in action; together with AIKO’s timeless stenciling of delicate silhouettes and Gordon Matta-Clark’s extraordinary archive of graffiti photography.
The ‘Dream Galleries’ chapter focuses on a selection of American and European originators, photo documentarians and cultural icons who helped contextualize and spread graffiti culture around the world. In André Saraiva’s Dream series, there is a visual articulation of how graffiti, street art, hip-hop, punk, fashion and break-dancing all sprung from the late 1970s and early 1980s into the 90s and today, and became a hybrid celebration of underground culture. Featured artists also include Mister CARTOON, most famously known for his tattooing and Los Angeles murals; an extraordinary Beastie Boys installation featuring fashion and ephemera from the band’s prolific history; and LADY PINK’s feminist murals, illustrations and paintings.
The ‘Legends’ chapter will present icons such as legendary NYC artist, Eric HAZE, a torch bearer for generations to come; a new large-scale painting by abstract expressionist artist José Parlá; advertisement posters by KAWS, a prominent creative force; and unique ephemera by Keith Haring, one of the most popular street artists of the 1980s.
The ‘Blockbusters’ chapter will include works commissioned specifically for this exhibition by graffiti trailblazers Shepard Fairey, LA-based activist, and FAILE, a Brooklyn based artistic duo taking over the streets of NYC since the late 90s.
‘Larger Than Life’ chapter will include a site-specific large-scale installation by LA-based icon Kenny Scharf who will present the largest to date Cosmic Cavern; an immersive and interactive installation consisting of Day-Glo paintings, ephemera, and reused materials found in the streets of LA. This chapter will also feature the signature puppet characters made from recycled materials by Paul Insect, one of London’s original street art pioneers.
The ‘Timeline’ chapter will take a deep dive into street culture history through archival photography, ephemera and fashion to contextualize the cross-pollination of influences across music, fashion and film. This chapter will also include a large wall vinyl by infamous feminist collective Guerrilla Girls – a deliberate nod to the fact that most street and graffiti artists, and indeed most well-known artists in contemporary art overall are men.
The closing chapters consist of ‘Social Commentary: Graffiti as a message’; ‘Art with Conscience’ containing works by hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy, and; ‘Consideration Into Innovation’ showcasing Lisbon-based artist, VHILS, who innovatively utilizes repurposed materials to reimagine city walls. In the final chapter ‘The Next Phase’ visitors will engage with new op-art works by Valencia based artist Felipe Pantone, whose high-contrast, geometric patterns continue to challenge perspective resulting in a distinctive aesthetic of the digital age.
BEYOND THE STREETS LONDON will feature a curated gift shop with more than 150 items developed exclusively for the London exhibition. The shop will feature a variety of apparel, collectibles, prints, books, toys, home goods and accessories, including several limited-edition artist collaborations.
Tickets are available now for booking through saatchigallery.com/tickets
“For a long time, Saatchi Gallery has recognised the energy and dynamism of graffiti & street artists. We are proud to present a show that will showcase amazing art, explore how art & music genres have inspired creatives over time, and bring together iconic artists from around the globe. We are thrilled to be working with Beyond the Streets on an experience that promises to be one of the must-see shows of 2023,” says Saatchi Gallery Director, Paul Foster.
