Street Art from L.A. to Kiev, El Mac to Shepard Fairey

The new book, The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti, by Rafael Schacter, conicides with the recent decision by the Los Angeles City Council to overturn the 11 year ban on public murals on private property. The book includes 113 street artists from 25 countries. With Los Angeles at one time the epicenter of street art in the world, this decision will change the face of the city once again. The explosion of art will move from inside the gallery to the streetscape. In my view, this is a very important function of art - making it accessible to everyone in a setting that is not intimidating, such as a gallery can be. Two of the world's most famous street artists included in the book, El Mac and Shepard Fairey, are from Los Angeles, and lend weight to the art scene here. The book by Schacter, and the overturning of the mural law in Los Angeles, are a celebration of public art. It enriches the urban fabric, and makes for an intensely more vibrant and interesting urban experience.