I remember getting into street art in about 2004. Living in Fitzroy it was easy because I was surrounded by it. Seeing local artists like HaHa and Vexta inspired me to look further afield. In doing so I came across other names- Banksy and the New York based collective, Faile to name just two. I finally stumbled across the Pictures on Walls website (sellers of contemporary art prints) and started to collect. The first Banksy prints I picked up cost under $200 each.

The emergence of street or ‘urban’ art as a force in the contemporary art market has seen a big change in the cost of collecting. Recent auction sales by UK artists Banksy, Faile, Adam Neate and Dface have fetched record prices. Small original canvases by Banksy that were sold for a few hundred dollars as late as 2003/04 now regularly fetch over $100,000; what was initially a passion for a small group of collectors has become a global investment phenomenon.

The increase in prices has, predictably, led to changes within the scene itself. Canvases and prints that used to sit around for months or even years are now snapped up, literally, within seconds. Some are bought by the growing legion of street art converts; others are grabbed by investors who, attracted by the promise of profits, are simply hoping to make some easy cash.

The money involved in the scene has also though had an effect on the way in which street art is viewed. Street art is, by its nature, transient. Artists accept that their work will fade, be cleaned up or tagged over. However, having it nicked and then sold is a different matter altogether. Many of the Banksy street pieces in London have been removed and sold to collectors and galleries. Where the image can’t readily be removed whole walls have been put up for sale. While there have been questions about the authenticity of some of the sales what cannot be questioned is that a large number of street pieces by Banksy (and to a lesser extent other street artists) are ending up in the hands of private collectors.

The silver lining to this rather dark cloud is that it has led people to reassess the value of street art and, at times, to take a more active role in preserving it. The dark cloud inside this silver lining is that frequently their desire to protect the piece has very little to do with its artistic merit and much more to do with its financial worth. And that’s a shame because the images themselves are stunning. Banksy visited Melbourne in 2003 and after an amazingly prolific fortnight left examples of his work all over the inner city. Many are now gone but there are still a few about. The most famous is the little diver on the rear of the St Nicholas building on Flinders Lane. However, there are also pieces in St Kilda (behind the Esplanade hotel), in Hosier Lane in the City (Check out the City Lights Gallery while you’re there) and in Fitzroy. If you’re feeling lazier then Revolver on Chapel Street has a series of pieces that he completed on their walls/ doors. It’s a great introduction to the street scene and a good way to get out and see the city!

A Few Relevant Sites

1. Banksy’s own site- http://www.banksy.co.uk/

2. Australian Graf site- http://www.thisisvandalism.com

3. An Australian Board Discussing Street Art- http://auscollectors.proboards47.com/index.cgi?

4. An Australian Gallery (Based in Sydney) selling works by many Australian street artists- http://www.stupidkrap.com/

5. Pictures on Walls has played a huge role in developing the scene in London. There are a lot of newer print houses and galleries now. But it’s still a good place to start- http://www.picturesonwalls.com

6. The Banksy Forum. The largest and liveliest of several UK forums discussing street art- http://www.banksy.info/