The Indian subcontinent has a unique street art context rooted in traditions of everyday decorative arts, which in recent years converged with global street art and graffiti that emerged from the West. 

Thanks to information and communication tools of globalization, and the flows of people and ideas — the East and the West now encounter each other in terms of ideas and aesthetics in virtual as well as real space. 

 However the contexts of street art or of art in the streets and in the public in the East is different. In the Indian subcontinent, art is often an under-appreciated and laborious economic livelihood for many. In recent years it is also hand-crafted resistance to digitization and a decolonized response to what is considered art in other places—a distinction that was rooted in a colonial exploitation. 

Art in the streets is often theatrical and image-laden. The following interviews and reflections barely scratch the surface of the rich heritage and diverse traditions behind types of performance, interventions wall art and public art forms that exist in the Indian subcontinent. It also enables a voice of critique and a way of creating a dialogue with the public.

Published: 2023-12-30

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