East village

A reference to East Greenwich Village artists, it pertained to the mid and early 1980s when it was transitioning with experimental art and galleries from a working class neighborhood to gentrification. Through artists such as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and styles of Pop Art, Graffiti Art Performance Art, Neo Geo, etc., the message was that art was embracing capitalistic commerce and turning away from publicly funded support. However, the mid 1980s saw the demise of the movement when many galleries moved to SoHo where rents were cheapers and buyers more active. Source: Robert Atkins, "Art Speak"