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Invention of Spray Paint
Spray paint was invented in 1949 by Ed Seymour in Sycamore, Illinois. Seymour intended the new creation be a dispenser for his aluminium paint, but the aerosol paint can ended up becoming the primary tool of a new subculture. -
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1970's
The stencil graffiti subculture has been around since the 70s and evolved from the freestyle graffiti seen in the New York City subways and streets. Social turmoil ruled the United States in the 1970s. This social instability started anti-establishment movements under the direction of punk rock bands. Bands, such as Black Flag and Crass, and punk venues would stencil their names and logos across cities and became known as symbols to the punk scene. -
John Fekner
The first traces of stencil graffiti were with the work of John Fekner, an innovative artist who was the first to move his art outdoors. Fekner would spray paint stenciled words, symbols, dates and icons pertaining to environmental and sociological concerns. He painted his stencils in New York City and also in countries such as England, Sweden and Germany. -
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1980's
As the graffiti culture spread with the rise of hip-hop in the 1980s, so did the emergence of the stencil graffiti genre. Stencils began to appear in cities all around the world from New York City to Melbourne, Australia. However, the artist stayed anonymous and tagged their work with alias names, giving a mystery to the subculture. -
Blek Le Rat
Blek le Rat became a shadow of the Parisian streets during the 1980s. Influenced by the graffiti artists of New York City, le Rat was convinced to create something of his own. As a result, le Rat developed life-sized stencils. They were dark figures or shapes that often startled city dwellers. -
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1990's
During the 1990s, more and more European companies were manufacturing spray paints with upgraded colors and enhancements. European spray cans remain as the professional-grade items. -
ABOVE
ABOVE tried to find a way to stand out and make his identity known in the streets. He is widely known for his political and social stencils and for his wooden "arrow mobiles." Beginning in 1995, ABOVE would stencil freight trains in California. At the age of 19, he moved to Paris where he started his trademark arrows, which he painted all over the city. -
Banksy
Banksy's stencils comment corruption in society through humor and ironic images. In 2005, Banksy set out to the West Bank where he painted stencils on the wall that separated Israel from Palestine which received international attention. Banksy will forever be known for his shocking, innovative street art and exhibits. His work has become more popular over the years as celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera, have spent thousands on Banksy's art.
