An art squat is a name used to describe the action of artists to occupy (or squat in) an abandoned building, thereby creating studio space to create art. Art squats often have a semi-legal or illegal status. Tacheles, in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

, Germany, was one of many buildings occupied by artists in the years after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and continued to operate as a studio space and gallery until 2012, when the authorities closed it for redevelopment. Paris, France, has experienced several decades of art squats, a result of high rents and a large

Bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...

artist population."In Paris, Art Fills the Void"
''The New York Times (travel)'', January 26, 2010. Retrieved 2013-06-02. Early examples include the

Bateau-Lavoir The Bateau-Lavoir ("Washhouse Boat") is the nickname of a building in the Montmartre district of the 18th arrondissement of Paris that is famous in art history as the residence and meeting place for a group of outstanding early 20th-century artist ...

(destroyed during the 1970s) and Hôpital Éphémère, occupied during the 1980s and 90s. In the 2000s the Paris city hall began an initiative to redevelop and legalise the city's art squats, beginning with a 6-storey squat at 59 rue de Rivoli which was renovated and reopened in 2009. Art Squat was also the name of an Artists Collective co-founded by Johnny Otto in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in the early 1990s, which took over abandoned properties in the Fairfax District and converted them into Galleries. In 2021 Art Squat Magazine was founded as an online source for interviews and articles about Artists from all over the world, including

Dave_Navarro David Michael Navarro (born June 7, 1967) is an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock band Jane's Addiction, with whom he has recorded four studio albums. Between 1993 and 1998, Navarro was the guitarist of the Red Hot Ch ...

, Plastic_Jesus_(artist), Billy_Morrison, WRDSMTH,

Blek_le_Rat Blek le Rat (; born Xavier Prou, 1952) is a French graffiti artist. He was one of the first graffiti artists in Paris, and has been described as the "Father of stencil graffiti". Early life Xavier Prou was born on 15 November 1951 in Boulogne- ...

, RISK_(graffiti_artist), Svetlana Talabolina and many others.

References

Art crime Artist groups and collectives * Visual arts magazines Magazines established in 2021 {{Art-stub