Street Art- ‘Taking it to the Streets’

These days, it seems that artists have taken to the streets more than ever before; finding creative inspiration and expressive outlets in everything from graffiti, street murals, paper & paste projects (sometimes on a massive scale, such as in JR’s monumental ’InsideOut’) -and, of course, street photography. Even in advertising, we are seeing a resurgence of hand-painted billboards, sometimes on a building-sized scale. Almost everywhere, artists are out there, working on site, leaving their mark and sharing their creativity. 

As an artist, I have always appreciated the charm of old, often weathered pictures and signage that functioned as homemade advertising in the days before neon lights and hi-tech billboards. The simple and sometimes crude rendering of the artwork (and frequent misspellings) give these images the feel of Folk Art, antique relics of another time.

Today, we are bombarded with a constant barrage of images- from the countless photos posted on the internet to magazines, movies, TV, and other media… and, everywhere, an unending flood of ads that utilize pictures to seduce and sell. 

But Art is still with us, and many of those who make it are taking to the streets, subject to the gaze and comments of passers-by, to create and to share their vision. Some may possess more passion than skill; some are more concerned with a social or political message than with purely visual content; and many are talented and accomplished professionals. In embracing the street as their canvas, all are confronted with considerable challenges: from the availability of an appropriate wall to it’s accessibility; from the extremes of weather to legal concerns; and from the cost of materials suited to so large a scale, to the inherent impermanence of their work. After all, doing street art is a little like making sand sculptures at the beach: in time, even the most extraordinary of those castles will crumble to oblivion.

So here’s a street photography salute to those artists who dream big enough to get out there, take it to the streets, and share their work with the world. 

Martin Ingber

I am a visual artist and musician from New York, where I was a Life Drawing and Painting Instructor for many years. I also worked as an Art Director, Senior Design Director and Curator; and my commercial illustrations in mixed-media and collage have appeared in numerous publications.

More recently, I have begun to pursue an interest in street photography, and am gratified to have found in Progressive Street a passionate community of creative and inspiring artists, and friends. My thanks to the extraordinary force of nature known as Batsceba Hardy, and the wonderful Progressive gang, for creating an online oasis that enriches us all. 

Our Challenge: if you’ve got a story you can tell in just a few shots, send it to us at Progressive: (progressivestreetphotography@gmail.com) This is a great chance to express yourself in a special way. You must have had sessions or days where you’ve got a real good feeling about how a story has played out. Could be people you tracked for a while or a day at an event. Your call. Let your pictures tell the story. Share it with us, no less than 5. We’ll share the best on our Website! But remember that words are also important for communicating sensations and your thoughts