Jun 10

Jun 10 The Art of Banksy

In case he needs any introduction, Banksy is the mysteriously anonymous, antiauthoritarian British graffiti artist, whose works - which started on walls but have since expanded into every medium including film - have turned him into an internationally best-selling phenomenon.

Whilst fiercely - and impressively successfully - guarding his identity, he has created and curated exhibitions, made films, written books, instigated a number of major stunts (including releasing 200 live rats into the gallery showing one of his exhibitions. Scroll down for another). And even been behind the opening of both a deliberately run down theme park/art installation (Dismaland)

and a hotel purposefully positioned in one of the worst locations in the world (right next to the wall that separates Israel from the Palestinian territories.)

With the easing of lockdown restrictions in the UK, the largest collection of privately owned Banksy works ever amassed, has finally opened in London, having previously toured to countries including the USA, Australia and Israel.

The show isn’t authorised by the artist, but that hasn’t prevented the organisers from amassing a fascinating, provocative, controversial, witty and frequently deliberately offensive collection of prints, canvasses, sculptures, and more.

Or from highlighting a number of his, typically challenging, views about the power and provocation of graffiti (stencils are his preferred method of producing his wall graffiti works quickly enough not to be caught).

The Art of Banksy collection includes some of his well known works, including the iconic Girl With Balloon

which was the centrepiece of one of another of his memorable stunts when a canvas version apparently self-destructed by being shredded just moments after selling at auction for $1.4 million. Banksy later released a video suggesting that the shredder, hidden in the frame, was meant to destroy the work completely but had malfunctioned. He also issued a certificate saying that the destroyed work had become a new piece of art with a new name: Love Is in the Bin.

My favourite of the pieces in the exhibition was probably this one - Love is in the Air (Flower Thrower)

And I’ll definitely never look at Winston Churchill in quite the same way again after seeing this, which he called Turf Wars

Or see MP’s debating in the House of Commons without picturing his Devolved Parliament superimposed over them

Or even consider any art without at least a momentary flicker of this flashing through my mind

All of which is, of course, is exactly what Banksy would want, and why his art is so provocatively memorable and worth seeing, even if you’ll probably never be able to afford to buy it.

The Art of Banksy is at 50 Earlham Street until November 1st. Details of opening hours and ticket prices are on their website