Dan Lane
In The Empty Spaces | 2021

Dan's new artworks were influenced by the street art he saw on his daily walks through the city with his wife. But he isn't the only artist to have been inspired during the COVID-19 crisis. From Vancouver to Amsterdam, graffiti murals have been a channel of expression and a way to unite communities. 

Artists are also finding new ways to share their art with others. In 2019, the Parisian street artist Pascal Boyart became the first person to incorporate NFTs (non-fungible tokens) within his work. By minting an NFT version of his mural - whereby it was stored on a digital ledger called a blockchain - Pascal was able to split his mural into 100 pieces and sell each one individually. As a result, when the French authorities painted over his artwork - a wry take on Eugène Delacroix’s masterpiece, 'Liberty Leading the People' - it still existed digitally. 

Adding value to crypto-works (art created by adding a unique signature to a digital file), blockchain technology is also aiding the exploration of virtual and augmented reality, allowing artists to incorporate a new digital dimension. Through QR codes (a digital barcode) and geotags (an electronic tag that pinpoints a specific geographic location), viewers can access layers of animation or own an artwork without removing it from the wall. 

The astronomical prices fetched by Banksy at auction are indicative of a growing appreciation of the street art genre. A 2017 survey found that 44% of UK homeowners would pay more for a house decorated with Banksy's works, while interior designers are increasingly commissioning street artists to design graffiti tags, murals and bubble letters for a contemporary home décor.  

Whether it's used to modernise an office space or brighten up a bathroom, bedroom or kitchen, graffiti art is about self-expression. It can be teamed with city elements like brick walls and exposed metal to echo its origins, or a neutral wall to create a statement. Fans of a maximalist look can also mix graffiti art with other genres and textures for impact. 

If you'd like to explore more graffiti-inspired art, why not browse our collections from Domingo Zapata, Nic Joly, Bisaillon Brothers, Hamish Blakely, Temper, Emma Grzonkowski and Frédéric Daty.