Art MarketLucy HowieDec 27, 2024 2:00PMKEO (Blake Lethem), installation view of “Love Watts presents KEO XMEN” at Woodbury House, 2023. Courtesy of Woodbury House. Street art is a term that encompasses a wide-ranging and dynamic set of artworks, from the paintings of Richard Hambleton to the hyperrealistic sculptures of Mark Jenkins. Inspired by graffiti, and—as its title suggests—visual expressions on the street, the peculiarities of street art can also make it a challenge for collectors to display and arrange works in their homes. Whether it’s finding a visual flow that feels cohesive with your interiors, or optimizing how works are displayed, this article taps experts for five key tips on how to find the perfect balance when it comes to arranging your street art collection.1. To frame or not to frame? TOXIC, installation view of “All Imperfections Included” at Woodbury House, 2024. Courtesy of Woodbury House. AdvertisementStreet art works sometimes contain distinct characteristics and materials that can influence how they are displayed. This is particularly important when it comes to framing. Some works, such as those by Swoon, have a particularly raw aesthetic that may not suit conventional framing techniques. At the same time, it’s also important to consider how you will protect your piece from damage. “When the medium or support is fragile—such as a paper-based work, which is far more delicate than a canvas—framing can protect it over time from various factors, including temperature fluctuations that can be harmful,” said Lionel Simon from Paris’s NextStreet Gallery. “This is especially true if the support is very thin.” Additionally, framing can protect from light and UV rays, which put an artwork at risk without proper framing. It’s important to remember that framing is a way to enhance a work’s intrinsic qualities and that considering the artist’s vision and intentions—as inspired by the street—could inform some of your decisions. “The raw and unrefined character of a work might be undermined by the application of a frame,” Simon suggested.2. Don’t limit your display by genre Installation view, from left to right, of works by Invader and Huang Yulong. Courtesy of NextStreet Gallery. Street art can often be unfairly categorized as distinct from other fine art genres. Many studio-based works by artists who are influenced by graffiti and their history of working on the street have a distinct identity that can often be more closely aligned with other forms of figurative and abstract artworks. “Just because an artist grew up working on the streets in their teens doesn’t necessarily reflect the nature of their work in the studio, and so this distinct quality of studio work should be taken into consideration when a collector is hanging work to be embraced alongside other fine art genres,” said Roger Gastman from L.A.’s Beyond the Streets. When hanging your works, however, be sympathetic to t
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