Taking it to the streets

Street art is quickly becoming the graffiti of the 21^st century. With many different forms, especially stenciling, stickering and wheatpasting, there are plenty of options for quick and effective display of important information. Most of the real activity and development of street art is happening outside of the United States, but for Rusyns, street art may be the way to get the word out here in North America.

Street art is a very underground, secretive type of movement, and as far as national exposure goes, there isn’t much of it. We Rusyns would prefer to not be an underground, secretive type of movement, but it often seems like it is. There’s always concern about creating interest, convincing others that we exist, and holding the interest of those who are convinced. With so many enclaves still extant, maybe this is the way to go.

Modern Rusyn culture is screaming for an art movement independent of socialist realism and traditional methods like woodworking and embroidery. There’s nothing wrong with those, but street art is quick, easy, and accessible. Its home is on the Internet, and it would then become one more bridge in the huge gaps between North American and European Rusyn communities.

There are multiple ways to go about making a successful street campaign for Rusyn art. Taking an idea from ObeyGiant’s manifesto of phenomenology, presenting something that is unfamiliar at first to the viewer creates interest, frustration and finally a reaction. If the viewer saw something “Rusyn”, perhaps they would gain interest in finding out more about what they saw. Otherwise, postering and stickering in Rusyn enclaves, where people have some general idea of the culture could also be effective, since people would have a reason to explore and involve themselves in cultural activities. Seeing activity in some areas would be a much needed impetus.

With creativity being a huge part of Rusyn culture, there’s no reason why street art can not become a new manifestation of our culture.