cultura
The 18th March saw the inauguration of the exhibition Street Art Banksy & Co. – L’arte allo stato urbano, in Bologna. Blu, the street artist who has become known globally for their unique style, has removed the entirety of their works in Bologna, the creation of which spans over 20 years, as a protest against the wealthy and powerful’s attempt to conquer the art world.
"After having denounced and criminalised graffiti as vandalism, after having oppressed the youth culture that created them, after having evacuated the places which functioned as laboratories for those artists, now Bologna’s powers-that-be pose as the saviours of street art.", says Blu.
While it has been assumed that Blu’s behaviour marks a victory for the state, it is evident that his decision is a political statement criticizing the attitudes of those in power who attempt to dictate when and where art should be accepted. David Conte, Bologna council’s culture member has hailed Blu’s decision as ‘a stimulating artistic performance that in my opinion is part of the conversation about the role of street art our city has been having over the past years.’
Blu refuses to have his artistic behaviour monitored and organized by the municipality. Although ostensibly his decision could be interpreted as a victory for the state, the reasons behind it reveal the deeply-rooted political importance of his work. Blu removes the importance from the work itself and focuses on making a social impact through it’s absence. In this case, the noted removal of his collective works functions as a refusal to become a part of the shallow attitudes towards street art constructed by the municipality’s adoption and subsequent controlling of street art; a form of art typically unsanctioned and free from the traditional confines of the art world.
A NOTED ABSENCE
HOW BLU USED THE ABSENCE OF HIS STREET ART TO MAKE HIS STRONGEST POLITICAL POINT YET