Banksy is an anonymous British artist, political activist, and film director, active since the 1990s. His street artworks are satirical and subversive. He combines graffiti with dark humour by way of stencilling on walls. He began as a graffiti artist but soon realised with a one layer stencil he could work much quicker, illegally.
Banksy's work grew out of the Bristol underground scene which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. I would also say his work grew out a post Thatcher Britain. Yet his early work is also targeted towards mass consumerism, capitalism and advertising. Although it has evolved to being site and / or specific, the political and subversive forms of communication remain.
The name, out of interest, comes from his real name (allegedly), Robin Gunningham, who started, as taggers and graffers do, with the pseudonym ‘Robin Banks’. Hehe.
Look, he’s become bigger than Jesus and its become ridiculous. And this in itself has revealed a very dark society at times. And a lot of people bag him out, selling out, he's not a graffiti artist because he uses stencils (because he wasn't that good at freehanding no longer relevant, bullshit news articles, claiming they met him, he’s a wanker, claiming they ARE him…all the things people love to say. Especially when the target has no identity. I am not going to comment on all that except to say I admire that he has managed to maintain an art practice where he controls his own narrative, even developing a company that maintains the authenticity of his work but above all, maintain his integrity and ethics. Working only with a small group of long term friends he trusts. I believe the reason he continues to make art is the same reason he did when he began.
Of relevance to my work is his early stencilled work on walls that is essentially culture jamming. He is SOOO good I’m literally going to randomly pick of the first few images that come up. Not necessarily images of the original, that’s kind of the idea with stencil art.
Here is my favourite. just because it is me. no recognition on social media at all often leads to tears.
Using the trope of the beggar with a cup and a sign, of which there were a LOT when I was living there in 1991-92, post Thatcher Britain, Banksy is saying that society is the real issue. He wants social change, not charity.
I feel Banksy's works don't need any explanation. If any deconstructive montage does, it's not working. But 'Follow your dreams' is a bit of a hippy graffing trope. I guess its targeting society's ambivalence, but it could be recent cuts in the arts, anything. It doesn't really matter if it's funny and makes people think. Thats the thing about Banksy. He challenges, whilst making people laugh.
Hahaha. Innocent people interrogated if they are deemed intruders. Which clearly Dorothy and Toto were on their way to Oz. Dorothy is the personification of the 'America's sweetheart', which led to a ruined childhood and a lifetime of many unhealthy issues for the actress. I see a two layered comment in a lot of Banksy's work
They are endless, from whimsical to hard hitting political statements. I would say Banksy is one of the most important culture jammers. Its important for my work to learn how to reduce what I am wanting to say to it’s barest elements, with humour. And Banksy never has to write an artist statement. Nor a grant. He doesn't even have to come up with artwork titles. If you are REALLY good, you just don't need to. Something to shoot for.