Street Art and Its Conservation Problems

The ever-increasing diffusion of street art in cities, recorded not only in the more peripheral urban systems but also in historical centers, requires a more careful reflection regarding conservation issues and those concerning the compatibility of this artistic phenomenon urban with pre-existing structures. This is especially true of the space in the historical city core, whose visual perception is changed by the presence of these works. Graffiti, muralism, and art installations are often collected in a single container, that of street art, which is a fluid art changing its characteristics. Today, it is no longer subversion but is returning to the official circuits of festivals and artistic commissions for art galleries by modifying its perception and models of protection and conservation. It is a matter of balance, of compatibility between contemporary art and ancient spatiality. It is the encounter/clash between the needs of the modern world and those of history, which only later require the help of science to conserve decorated surfaces. The matter is very complex; it requires a conceptual order and the priorities that need to be established to conserve urban environments, mainly if these concern areas belong to the city’s core.