# Abandoned Building Art Exhibits This Modern Building Art Proves Things Look Better with Graffiti By Michael Baxter | Published 2014-01-17 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/modern-building-art References: [laughingsquid](http://laughingsquid.com/surplus-candy-a-secret-art-show-in-an-abandoned-building-in-the-east-village/) & [animalnewyork](http://animalnewyork.com/2014/theres-secret-street-art-show-abandoned-building-tonight/) There's nothing like some good modern building art. Graffiti often gets a bad rap for being the pastime of hooligans, but it can also be some of the most honest pieces of self-expression. New York artist Hanksy (no, not Banksy) hosted a full [street art exhibit](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/piranha-tank) in a [three story building](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alan-prekop-studio) in Manhattan's East Village. The exhibit was titled 'surplus candy' and featured some of the grittiest pieces of art standing side by side with delicate and beautiful pieces of modern art. The house was a complete maze of color and messages. There were ironic re-appropriations, original works and tons of culture jamming going around. Essentially, this was a tagger's dream and an amazing destination for modern building art lovers. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.9/10 - Popularity: 95% | Activity: 75% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Customization](https://www.trendhunter.com/customization) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Street Art Exhibits:** Opportunity for businesses to create immersive experiences by hosting street art exhibits in abandoned buildings. - **Graffiti as Self-expression:** Potential for businesses to embrace graffiti as a form of self-expression and incorporate it into their branding or marketing strategies. - **Culture Jamming:** Disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to leverage culture jamming techniques to challenge traditional norms and engage with audiences. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Art Galleries:** Art galleries can explore showcasing street art exhibits in abandoned buildings to attract a wider audience and differentiate themselves from traditional galleries. - **Branding and Marketing:** Branding and marketing agencies can capitalize on the authenticity and rawness of graffiti as a means of connecting with consumers and establishing unique brand identities. - **Festival and Event Management:** Festival and event management companies can organize immersive experiences in abandoned buildings, featuring street art, to offer attendees a unique and memorable event. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Bubblegum Street Art Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hubbabubbabuilding.md) - [Street Art-Inspired Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/met-rooftop.md) - [Digital City-Inspired Art Works](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-central-station.md) - [Enigmatic Graffiti Incidents](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/enigmatic-graffiti.md) - [Optical Illusion Replica Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/liberty-science-center.md) - [Provoking Graffiti Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/david-ruggeri.md) - [Urban Sneaker-Inspired Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/museum-of-graffiti1.md) - [Church-Housed Art Galleries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/greg-mike1.md) - [Hip-Hop-Influenced Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bric-house.md)