Street Art Dealer | C6.org and Steal From Work
For decades, street art has been developed in the street for a street audience, but things are changing. A growing public interest has encouraged rapid growth of a re-sale industry, facilitated by galleries and auction houses. By taking the work off the street, the context and meaning is often compromised. Can street artists use mobile technologies to sell their work directly to the public, from the street? Can the integrity of street art be preserved in the midst of the expanding re-sale industry? Can gallery audiences be encouraged to engage with work on the street?
C6 and Steal from Work have been exploring the potential of using ‘digital tagging’ to put control of the work back in the hands of the artists. Street Art Dealer will be a system where works of art can be bought from specific street locations, via a mobile phone using a QR code. A QR code is a two-dimensional bar code that can store a URL. A user with a camera phone equipped with simple, readily available reader software can scan the image of a QR code, causing the phone's browser to launch and redirect the user to the URL.
Street Art Dealer will be a website that enables the public to browse street artists either by name, works, or location via a Google map. Works will not be available for purchase directly from the website. Instead, customers will be encouraged to visit a works geographical location and scan the QR tag at that location. Street Art Dealer will minimise the growing layers of commerce between artists and the purchasing public and promote engagement with the meaning of art in the context of the environment.
C6 were founded in 1997 to create invasive works of art. C6 produce events focusing on the dynamics between the analogue and digital, process driven interaction between the street gallery and artist internationally. C6 use an eclectic range of media from software to spray paint. A shifting brand through a project based practice. Fashion ranges, publishing, Vjing - C6 has a wide range of skills.
Steal From Work is a 3 strong artist run co-operative, created with the sole aim of putting a much needed fresh injection of life into Bristol’s art scene. Doing things with a sense of purpose, a sense of fun, and a sense of need.
Formed in 2007 after returning to Bristol after living in former East Berlin and with that city’s DIY ethos and ‘just do it’ attitude firmly in mind, Steal From Work produced their first exhibition; 12 Days of Xmas. It attracted 4-5000 visitors over its 12 day run and was hailed as the show of the year by people all across the spectrum in Bristol. This led to a more permanent move back to Bristol, with the aim of taking on that city's art establishment and beating them at their own game.
Read the Street Art Dealer blog
Who else was commissioned in 2009?
Cyber-therapy | HMC, Drake Music and bibic
Mapping Software 1.0 | AntiVJ
Viral Spiral | U-Soap Media
AudioEnable | Nomos Media and Radio in Schools
The Generator | Indie Mobile
