Street art can come in many forms, whether it be a beautiful, detailed mural, a scenic sculpture or even a creative tag in an alleyway. Graffiti can be seen all around major cities just like Houston; depending on who’s looking some might think that urban art is unfavorable to the city and to others this form of art could make an area more aesthetically pleasing. So, where did this come from? (Tate.org 2025) the movement of street art began in between the 1960s and 70s as a form of protest starting from name tagging in certain states such as New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.  

A couple examples of street art is the iconic “Be Someone” tag on a steel bridge that every Houstonian sees when passing through I-45. Or in between Fallen Angel and Leopard Lounge on Westheimer Road, there is a mural of MF DOOM alongside more tags left by the community of Montrose. This goes to show how in the past, as previously mentioned, graffiti and street art was once seen as a radical form of protest that has now transformed into an inspiring and beautiful form of art even here in space city. 

Street art could seem visually appealing to some, what exactly draws the line for some street art? While some people might think the array of tags might be beautiful, not everyone understands the concept of filling a random space of art and believe that it can make a space unsightly. (Derek A. Adame 2021). As everyone might know, graffiti is illegal without the permission of the owners who occupy the space and could be considered vandalism, because it is a minor crime it could lead to a rise in crime rate in the area.  

If done properly, street art could be useful in speaking out politically, sparking social awareness and uplifting a community. Another positive about urban art is that it’s accessible to anyone and everyone. It could even create opportunities for these small artists to get involved with bigger artists or find positions within a company to turn their hobby and passion into a career. (The State of The Arts 2025)  

In the end, beauty can really only be seen and appreciated within the eye of the beholder, but just because something sticks out against most things, it doesn’t necessarily make it an eye-sore but could mean something deeper than what we might think and should be considered more than just colors on a wall.