'Art, Access & Decay': Street Art Is Born In New York (PHOTOS)

In order to remain unaffected by the commercial and academic influences of the time, a new art movement took shape in New York in the 1970s. Art was shown in the streets, storefronts and television. The big idea? To make sure it was widely available and affordable. Subliminal Project's exhibition 'Art, Access & Decay' draws mostly from three overlapping phenomena: an artists’ collective called Collaborative Projects, or CoLab; Fashion Moda, a cultural center situated in the South Bronx; and the East Village, a corner of Manhattan that emerged as an alternative to SoHo’s increasingly upscale art scene. The streets became the gallery of choice for many artists and by the early 80's the art world began embracing this evolution.

Art, Access & Decay: New York 1975 - 1985, SUBLIMINAL PROJECTS, 1331 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026, through April 30th, 2011.