Street art is a phenomenon and subculture movement that reaches from the darkest urban backstreets to the most glamorous international art fairs. Despite having earned a place in the canon of twentieth-century art history, its qualifications are often disputed by both the art establishment and practitioners themselves, all concerned with notions of authenticity.

This book examines how street art evolved from its origins in the 1970s New York graffiti scene to embrace many new materials, styles, and techniques. The once marginal art form has graduated into art galleries and the art market, while also heavily influencing design, fashion, advertising, and visual culture. Simon Armstrong walks readers through its controversial history, taking in the movement's significant artists, artworks, and methods, and showcasing the works that have come to define it. He also discusses its close relationship to pop art and digital art, and explores possible futures for street art.

Packed with detail and written in an engaging, accessible style, this latest installment in the Art Essentials series is a must-read for lovers of street art and anyone interested in the way art movements gradually join the mainstream.