The Cultural Institute of Google has recently launched Project Street Art, an online gallery of over 5000 images from around the globe. Created as an extension of their larger Google Art Project, users can access high resolution images of creative works online for free. Displays from the heart of Europe to the cutting edge "5 Pointz" space in New York are all available to view.
Integrating the same technology as the company used for their "Street View" feature in Google Maps, enjoying contemporary art collections has never been easier. The site provides a 360° viewing display that creates a fully immersive experience when enjoying the works. Google also provides access to art in building"s that are now publicly unavailable or have been demolished.
A post from the Official Google Blog expresses their reasoning for the project, stating:
Here today, gone tomorrow. The transient nature of street art means it can be at risk of being scrubbed out and lost forever to its legions of fans. But long after the paint has faded from the walls, technology can help preserve street art, so people can discover it wherever and whenever they like.
The introduction of Project Street Art is another example of how Google aims to curate thousands of art works into one major gateway. The recently formed Cultural Institute is already rich in creative pieces, and collections such as "Stories of the Holocaust" and "Made in Italy" are available. A video from the team at Google puts the goal into perspective.
Be sure to keep an eye out for further creative archiving from the tech giant. We"re sure this is only the beginning for Google and their Cultural Institute, but for now, go enjoy some quite frankly amazing street art.
Source: Google