For those of you who have not yet heard of the infamous Banksy, I will do my best to shed light on his devious, yet seemingly politically motivated acts of graffiti and mass-pranks. From what organizations, both artistic and governmental know about Banksy, he is in his late 20's and he hails from possibly Bristol or Redland England. He is world-renowned for his politically satirical graffiti art and his daring pranks or 'art stunts'. 
Although he (and his crew) are technically fugitives, (his face has only been seen by two interviewers), he is still able to sell his artwork through his manager. His work 'Space Girl and Bird', which was commissioned by the British alternative band Blur, sold for 288,000 pounds. His works has sold anywhere from 25,000 pounds to nearly 300,000 pounds. According to interviews though, he could care less about the money, he enjoys the emotion his art evokes from people and the risk that comes from being in his 'line of work'.
Aside from traditional graffiti art, Banksy also thrives on what are known in the art community as 'art stunts'. Two prime examples are when he and his crew replaced 500 of Paris Hilton's newly released CD with copies in which he had changed the images of to those of a topless Paris Hilton and remixed and changed the songs, with the help of Danger Mouse, to titles such as "Why am I Famous?" and "What am I for?". Probably his most daring art stunt happened during a tour he mad to L.A. He and his crew took a sawed-in-half phone booth and cemented it into an empty parking lot, however; the building adjacent to the parking lot was that of an unmarked FBI building. He is also famous for hanging his own artworks in museums such as the Met, the Museum of Modern Art and the British Museum in London who ironically left his work hanging.
Banksy has helped to inspire a new generation of artist into bringing their beliefs of politics and religion into their art and to take risks in doing so.
Although he (and his crew) are technically fugitives, (his face has only been seen by two interviewers), he is still able to sell his artwork through his manager. His work 'Space Girl and Bird', which was commissioned by the British alternative band Blur, sold for 288,000 pounds. His works has sold anywhere from 25,000 pounds to nearly 300,000 pounds. According to interviews though, he could care less about the money, he enjoys the emotion his art evokes from people and the risk that comes from being in his 'line of work'.
Aside from traditional graffiti art, Banksy also thrives on what are known in the art community as 'art stunts'. Two prime examples are when he and his crew replaced 500 of Paris Hilton's newly released CD with copies in which he had changed the images of to those of a topless Paris Hilton and remixed and changed the songs, with the help of Danger Mouse, to titles such as "Why am I Famous?" and "What am I for?". Probably his most daring art stunt happened during a tour he mad to L.A. He and his crew took a sawed-in-half phone booth and cemented it into an empty parking lot, however; the building adjacent to the parking lot was that of an unmarked FBI building. He is also famous for hanging his own artworks in museums such as the Met, the Museum of Modern Art and the British Museum in London who ironically left his work hanging.
Banksy has helped to inspire a new generation of artist into bringing their beliefs of politics and religion into their art and to take risks in doing so.
1 comment:
banksy is the man, homie. you know i love him. nice work enlightening people about him.
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