Beyond the streets

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Lloyd’s memoir is essential reading, whether or not you feel a particular connection to the subject. This is a worldwide social epidemic and we would do well to understand its complexities; if nothing else to make us more alert to what might be going on under our noses. The history of graffiti in New York has been around since the 1960’s, but didn’t heavily influence New York til the late 1970’s when the new art form took a rapid spread throughout the city. This is where the history of tagging graffiti came about, during the 70’s when people began tagging their names and works of art across buildings, streets, and sidewalks. There’s so much art and paraphernalia to see, no corner of the Saatchi left untouched: glued and stapled to the walls, decorating stairways, displayed in frames, broadcasted on screens, filling hallways and tunnels, collected under glass display cases. Some artworks are displayed as in traditional galleries – huge frame canvasses interrupting towering walls and swathes of whiteness. They’re left alone, accompanied only by explainers that illuminate the history of London’s streets just beyond the Saatchi’s walls. Other artworks spill over their confines onto the wall; in some cases, the wall itself is the canvas, creating a special ephemerality. Gazing up at these towering installations, I wonder where the art ends and the gallery begins. Perhaps that’s the entire point. VISIT

The exhibition headline supporter is adidas Originals. Support also provided by LA Tourism Board and onefinestay.Inspired by the rich sporting heritage of adidas – one of the world’s leading sports brands and a global designer and developer of athletic footwear and apparel – adidas Originals is a lifestyle brand founded in 2001. With the adidas archive at its foundation, adidas Originals continues to evolve the brand’s legacy through its commitment to product innovation and its ability to filter the creativity and courage found on courts and sporting arenas through the lens of contemporary youth culture. Marked by the iconic Trefoil logo that was first used in 1972 and championed by those that continue to shape and define creative culture, adidas Originals continues to lead the way as the pioneering sportswear brand for the street. adidas.co.uk/originals Categories A piece that we’re really happy to show was painted by FUTURA2000, it’s called “Escape London”. He painted it live on stage with The Clash performing in 1982. It’s 30 feet long, and 15 feet tall, and it shows the merging of all of these cultures together just beautifully and sums up so much. With new special commissions, the exhibition – supported by adidas Originals, marks the first time in eight years a show has taken over the entirety of Saatchi Gallery, spanning an immense 70,000 sq ft. The Gallery presents curated exhibitions on themes relevant and exciting in the context of contemporary creative culture. Our educational programmes aim to reveal the possibilities of artistic expression to young minds, encourage fresh thought and stimulate innovation.

After several years of thinking about how we should reprint this book—it finally happened. We worked with old CDs of images, Quark files that would not open, and other technical issues of computers past to rebuild FREIGHT TRAIN GRAFFITI the way we always imagined it could be while staying true to the original era covered and including another 500-plus images,” shares Roger Gastman. Each of the exhibition’s chapters will explore exceptional moments in the history of this artistic movement; including the emergence of punk; the birth of hip-hop - marking its 50th anniversary in 2023; and street culture’s strong influence in fashion and film.

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The story of graffiti and street art can’t be told without highlighting the significant role London, and the UK in general played in revolutionising these cultures and continuing to spread the word of their existence. Pushing the global narrative has always been of importance to us and we’re honoured to continue telling our story at Saatchi Gallery, whose prestige and impact are unmatched in the UK,” says BEYOND THE STREETS Founder Roger Gastman.