Las Calles Hablan: Supporting Street Art

by: Katie Grimmer

Artist: Kenor

One of the many things that Barcelona is best known for is its street art — there are entire walking tours and multiple Web sites dedicated to the graffiti scene. Because of recent changes in their laws, fines are threatening artists’ freedoms and there are fewer places where street art is even allowed.

Mapping Barcelona Public Art, a project to increase the awareness of the importance of street art and to protect freedom of expression, recently reached its goal of $2500 on Kickstarter to support the exhibit Las Calles Hablan.

Las Calles Hablan is set to open in October 2012 in Barcelona. The exhibit will display some of the city’s most talented graffiti artists, such as Debens, Kanor and BToy and “serve to open up dialogue in the community about the importance of street art.” The $2500 is put towards the rent for the gallery, the set up and publicizing the event and maintaining the Web site.

Artist: BToy

Any extra funds that the Kickstarter receives are designated for a never-before-seen documentary premiering opening night. The film will feature footage of the main graffiti areas in Barcelona, as well as interviews with the artists and a street art gallery owner.

Ultimately MBPA hopes to recreate open discussions between the artists and the people of the city.