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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Where in the World is Banksy?
Have you heard of the artist Banksy? I haven’t heard of him until the past Sunday on the Sunday Morning CBS News Show.
Banksy is a pen name I suppose. He is a super artist (I think) who is believed to live in Yate, near Bristol, England. He does graffiti on public buildings and private property – he breaks the law.
It is also believed he was born in 1974 and his name may be Robert Banks…. Just how somebody came up with that, I don’t know.
His graffiti art has appeared in the U.S.A., the Holy Lands, and other parts of the world. On CBS they hinted that he may be independently wealthy, being able to globe trot like he does and not report to a regular job each day.
He is a very good artist but seems to be making fun of art and those who patronize it. His art also insults authority and wealth and modern things. He has plenty to say is saying it. I think he has a very dry but rich sense of humor.
There has been several auctions of his art* and it auctioned for 10 times what the dealers expected it to sell for.
There was a showing of his work in New York City and Banksy himself made an anonymous visit and but some graffiti on his own work – it was his way of saying, “Kilroy Was Here!”
I googled and copied a-not-so-random samplings of his work which is above in the introducing picture and piled on top of each other below. Be sure and click on each picture to get the full benefit of his art.
Judy,
ReplyDeleteThey are aren't they?
Apparently he is doing it free. If the authorities knew who he was he would be arrested for defacing private and pubic property.
I've neve hear of Bansky either.
ReplyDeleteThe picture with the little girl and the photographers is disturbing - yet.....I think it says a lot in that oftentimes priorities aren't in the right place.
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteFrom what I know from his work - which I just discovered, I think he is cool. He thumbs his nose at authority and big money and sees the moral decay in society.
There's a Banksy imitator in NYC, but he or she is not nearly as interesting as the original. As is usually the case, right?
ReplyDeleteSuzanne,
ReplyDeleteAs they say, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."