A home for Street Art

Street Art has been grabbing a lot of attention among mainstream art aficionados in recent years. In part, that’s thanks to the growing popularity of Banksy, the nom de guerre of a U.K.-based graffiti artist, filmmaker and painter.

Art experts say the movement is truly global. Typically, the rise of a new artistic genre would create opportunities for collectors and investors. On the other hand, Street art, creates some obvious challenges.

It is difficult, albeit not impossible, to collect art that is stenciled or painted to a public wall or sidewalk. Still, art experts say, the act of relocating a piece of street art can change its meaning and value.

Collectors who go that route must understand how the change in context will affect the work itself—for example, a work of protest stenciled onto the wall of a bank might lose its power when relocated to a gallery. Buyers should be careful to work with a gallery that understands the medium, she says.

Others think that public art shouldn’t be moved at all. If someone wants a large piece of street art to display at their private home or office, Mr. Mauri says, they should hire a street artist to create it for that site, rather than take an existing piece out of its intended location. “

Collectors looking for short-term investments should emphasize on small pieces by newer artists, whose work often doubles in two or three years. But Mr. Scialom “won’t encourage this type of attitude,” because it could be wrong for artists looking to build long-term relationships with collectors.Street Art Is Finding a Home With Collectors

The medium has been grabbing a lot of attention among mainstream art aficionados in recent years. In part, that’s thanks to the growing popularity of Banksy, the nom de guerre of a U.K.-based graffiti artist, filmmaker and painter.

Art experts say the movement is truly global. Typically, the rise of a new artistic genre would create opportunities for collectors and investors. On the other hand, Street art, creates some obvious challenges.

It is difficult, albeit not impossible, to collect art that is stenciled or painted to a public wall or sidewalk. Still, art experts say, the act of relocating a piece of street art can change its meaning and value.

Collectors who go that route must understand how the change in context will affect the work itself—for example, a work of protest stenciled onto the wall of a bank might lose its power when relocated to a gallery. Buyers should be careful to work with a gallery that understands the medium, she says.

Others think that public art shouldn’t be moved at all. If someone wants a large piece of street art to display at their private home or office, Mr. Mauri says, they should hire a street artist to create it for that site, rather than take an existing piece out of its intended location. “

Collectors looking for short-term investments should emphasize on small pieces by newer artists, whose work often doubles in two or three years. But Mr. Scialom “won’t encourage this type of attitude,” because it could be wrong for artists looking to build long-term relationships with collectors.