Urban Nation: A New Urban/Street Art Gallery in Berlin

Urban Nation in Berlin is the first major art museum of street art and graffiti. Berlin is known as the street art capital of the world and it is only fitting that this city opens the world's first major institution that champions and archives international street artists. 

arrestedmotion.com

Recently opened on the 16 September this year, Urban Nation's first exhibition had works by famous street artists such as Shepard Fairey (known for his Obama Hope poster), Banksy and Blek le Rat, the Parisian street artists who pioneered stencil street graffiti. Now 66, Blek le Rat, sees Urban Nation Museum as a turning point because a goal of street artists is to be admitted into institutions. 

"Its very tricky because on one side we are rebellious, we make art in places where it is illegal, we risk gaol by making our art on the streets, but on the other side, when you talk with street artists and graffiti artists they all want to be in museums, they all want to be sold at Christie's, they want to be part of the art world." Blek le Rat for Hannah Ellis-Petersen's 'Street art goes home: museum of graffiti opens in Berlin' The Guardian, Wednesday 20 September, 2017

The work in Urban Nation is an extension of what happens on the streets, not sections of work that have been 'chopped off' from walls. Street artists also work on canvas and by putting their art in galleries and museums it becomes more appealing to collectors and increases in value.

Watch a documentary on Urban Nation
https://youtu.be/SGzwWzeL0m4

For a virtual tour of the gallery go to:
https://vimeo.com/234573854