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5 cult moments that made urban art enter history

5 moments culte qui ont fait entrer l’art urbain dans l’histoire

The article highlights five iconic moments that propelled street art into history, coinciding with the 'Beyond the Streets' exhibition at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris, which gathers over 100 artists across 3,600 square meters. Key milestones include Taki 183's 1971 New York subway tags, the 1984 publication of 'Subway Art' by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant, and Gérard Zlotykamien's pioneering street interventions in Paris starting in 1963, alongside the emergence of the Stalingrad wasteland as an open-air gallery in the mid-1980s.

These moments matter because they trace the evolution of graffiti and street art from clandestine, illegal acts to a globally recognized artistic movement now celebrated in major institutions and exhibitions. By documenting the origins and key figures, the article underscores how street art has shifted from subculture to mainstream, influencing generations of artists and reshaping public perceptions of art in urban spaces.