In an anti-establishment movement that’s taking the art world by storm, 6 of the world’s most famous Street Artists whose work is intricately connected to the urban environment were commissioned to paint the iconic river façade of Tate Modern exterior walls with 45 foot (15 meter) high towering artworks for the first major public museum display of Street Art in London.

Work of Brazilian artist Nunca exhibited on the facade of the Tate Modern. Photo Getty

The collaborative artists include Blu from Bologna, Italy, the artist collective Faile from New York, JR from Paris, France, Nunca and Os Gemeos, both from Sao Paulo, Brazil and Sixeart from Barcelona, Spain, but works of the ever-elusive Banksy was nowhere to be seen.

Street Art at Tate Modern brings to the forefront a significant aspect of modern-day art practice and one that’s influenced acclaimed artists, including Basquiat and Picasso.

All 6 artists are represented in major collections around the world and regularly shown in gallery exhibitions but their work began in public urban spaces and remains indebted to Street Art and graffiti traditions.

JR from Paris, France. Photo Jason Delport

Sixeart, JR and Faile. Photo Jason Delport

Nunca said, “This is the most important exhibition I have done until now and it is making a lot of people out here think about the importance of the art that is done by artists that use the streets like another tool — the richness of it, the creativity of these artists and the position the institutions have.”

“It is the first time that the Tate Modern is using the outside walls of the building to do an exhibition, and it is the first time this institution is working with ‘Street Art’ too.”

Photo Tate Modern

Street Artist Blu. Photo Jason Delport

Os Gemeos from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo Jason Delport

A street walking tour began May 23rd and runs through to August 25 2008. The first 4 days and nights will be packed with live events and performances including an interactive evening with experimental New York artists Graffiti Research Lab, re-facing Tate Modern with graffiti light projections.

‘Tate Studio’ is a free event with a spirited line up of street artists, bands and DJ’s encouraging young people to experiment and create their own digital street art in various forms such as projection art instantly scaled up and projected onto London’s largest modern art gallery, as well as drawing and sticker-layering. The event will include a temporary installation by Random International.

It runs Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 to 18:00, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 to 22:00 with last admission into exhibitions at 17:15 (Friday and Saturday 21:15). For more information on this program of events visit www.tate.org.uk/thelongweekend2008

After the Tate show, Os Gêmeos head to NYC for their show at Deitch, “Too Close Too Far.” opening June 26 2008.

Street Art versus Graffiti
Although the term Street Art has been used since the late 70’s, the work is in constant flux and difficult to categorize, but basically being more visual and engaging urban art in contrast to text-based graffiti and tagging.

Street Artist Blu. Photo Tate Modern