PROFILE: BANKSY (LIGHT VERSION)

There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who wants to make the world a better place.

-BANKSY. Emelina nyqvist graphic language mauricio o’brian cwk2

Graffiti: Illegal clutter on city properties, young anarchists rioting against society with the help of vandalism, wasting citizen’s taxes for the fun of it.

-You shall not destroy the clean and pure walls of our city, if you do you shall be arrested by the law enforcement and put in jail!

This is a general assumption of the definition of street art & graffiti, a dated one, some might say.

If graffiti changed anything it would be illegal The word Graffiti in modern definition is an illegal action.

From the beginning, graffiti was about leaving a mark, recording a moment in time or spreading a message.

The right to the free-spoken word is something that divides most people with an opinion about street-art into two.

Pro street-art often claims that graffiti is enriching city environments and helps spreading messages.

London calling London and smaller communities around, have a strong history of music and art. Hip-hop influences came from France and America and started spreading political views and messages.

Keith Haring was an artist with his roots in pop art but also experimented with street style. He died young at the age of 31, but had in a few years broken ground internationally with his specific style of art. Haring was based in New York and friends with Jean-Michel Basquiat, another great name in the art world.

Different forms: tagging, spray paint, stencils, stickers and poster art is frequently being used.*** *http://weburbanist.com/2009/04/22/roots-and-history-of-modern-street-art-and-graffiti/ **http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/06/massive-attack ***http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/culture/Basquiat.htm

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Jeff Koon is a name worth mentioning, not as a graffiti artist but an inspiring artist to others. He is the man behind silly figurines as balloon animals and other banal objects, however, his installations can be seen in other contexts, for example in the modern, ironic, British street art.* *http://www.jeffkoons.com

Banksy is a pseudonym used to protect the true identity of what is believed to be 39-year-old Robin Gunningham, allegedly from Bristol, England.

He was part of the generation that was influenced by the hip-hop culture that was on its rise at the time and has claimed on his official webpage to have been inspired by 3D, one of the former graffiti artists and founder of the music group ‘Massive attack’.** The political agenda (radical left) is something that has left its mark when looking at street-art influenced in the same way as Banksy.

From the start, Banksy was mostly free handing his graffiti, however being an illegal act he later moved on to stencil work in able to save time before the police showed up.

* http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3201344.stm **http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1825271,00.html

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

In able to understand Banksy and his work, it is important to understand the history of England (politics, immigration and employment.) Here already, it is clear that we are dealing with a thinker, an artist that want to say something.

In able to do this, street art can be considered a perfect tool, seeing that you are painting on a public canvas for the world to see.

Doing something radical is like taking back the power from the government, the authority.

Justification of illegal graffiti, from an artist’s point of view:

Any advertisement in public space that gives you no choice whether you see it or not is yours, it belongs to you, it’s yours to take, rearrange and re use.

-Banksy

Trains + graffiti.

At a first glance, this might look like something obvious; it is illegal, ergo wrong.

Theory: trains are property of the citizens (tax money).

Sins the trains are property of the people, they might as well use them in able to spread the word of the people.

Enter, the political street-artist.

After all, it is in fact his tax money that bought the trains to start with.

-There are crimes that become innocent and even glorious through their splendour, number and excess. -Banksy In general, the rat stands for something dirty.

In one way it is reminding us of that we are part of a social class, the underclass that is being oppressed by the upper society.

Also a symbol of survival instinct. This reminds us to stand up for our rights against social and political authorities.

A MASSIVE ATTACK

Banksy started to become famous in London, late 90’s with his vast attack on the walls of the capital. He yet again proved that together with numerous acts, your voice can be heard.

Banksy himself is not a fan of the industry and feel ashamed for the public hysteria around his works.

Although a contribute to the art, giving him the chance to travel and spread his art to other places around the world.

Aggressive art

It is, when looking at “installations� and the art that takes form of actions, where the true political views are being exposed.

Disneyland California a life-size replica of a Guantanamo Bay prisoner were chained to the gates in front of one of the rides.

Banksy is questioning public property, politics and capitalism.

Not just a young boy angry at society rather a smart man with greater knowledge that we can not think of.

Banksy’s piece were sold for 1.1$ million.* Street-art by goes against social norms and laws.

It’s all about the Benjamin$

Questioning the concept of property.

(No one asked for my permission so why should I?) By leaving a piece of art on it, I am reclaiming that part and declare it as my own.

This is the logic behind pro street art.

To simplify it one can say that the system, the society itself is being corrupt.

Graffiti is an attack, however a legit one.

“I can’t believe you idiots buy this shit”.

Using fake money as props, almost like he is playing a joke on capitalism, using its very own tool.

Banksy stopped signing his work many years ago *http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/3/4391522/missing-banksy-slave-labor-mural-sold-at-private-auction

THE POET PRODUCES POEMS. THE PAINTER PRODUCES PAINTINGS. THE CRIMINAL PRODUCES CRIMES. –IF YOU CAN DO ALL THREE AT ONCE, YOU’LL REALLY CONFUSE THE SHIT OUT OF THEM.

A MAN COULD GET ARRESTED

Graffiti definition.

1. Illegal placing, i.e. not your property 2. A spray can or preferable colouring tool There is however a third component to great street art, one that Banksy is a professional at, namely: composition in the matter of message together with placement.

The reasons why street art (no matter $) will never be as successful in an art gallery as on the actual street. I repeat: never.

You can create you own moment when you cross the street (a little bit tipsy) and see a giant rat on the wall, wearing 3D-glasses.

Only you know what you are thinking about and how it makes you feel.

THE SOUND OF SILENCE - Will the real Banksy please not stand up?

Many rumours circulate the Internet, claiming to know the true identity of Banksy.

When the habitants of Bristol were being asked if they knew who the real Banksy was, the answer was a collective ‘yes’. (Quoting: even when it is bullshit.)

By acknowledge a person’s existents you are contributing with the mystique around him.

Banksy is pointing out society’s problem in front of everyone to see, with the help of the dangerous weapon of all: humour.

How does he do it?

People are egocentric. At most times, we do not care that much about what is going on around us.

Even if you did notice the man putting up a poster on the wall, and lets say you did approach him, asking him what he was doing?

Who are you to question his story?

A crew that can keep a lookout for police, also he keeps a second backpack close by containing “stencils that looked like they were cut out by “an alcoholic with Down’s syndrome.”* So that if he were caught he could pretend being one of many copycats. *http://therumpus.net/2010/03/the-contradiction-of-contradiction-a-conversation-with-banksy/

England has ten billion CCTV cameras*, just like a vast “big brother” set. Which is ironic because “big brother” was named after a character in a book about an England with ten billion CCTV cameras. *Nobody is quite sure but estimates range from a lot, to a fuck of a lot.**

**You are an accaptable level of threat

-Banksy came to the city and (in his own way) helped restoring it.

-New Orleans is known for its vibrant art and music culture, and together with his art, little by little he placed is back where it belonged: on the streets.

-Banksy may be a man of few words but if you look close enough, it becomes more and more obvious how carefully he selects them.

THE GREATEST CRIMES IN THE WORLD ARE NOT COMMITED BY PEOPLE BREAKING THE RULES BUT BY THE PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE RULES. IT’S PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW ORDERS THAT DROP BOMBS AND MASSACRE VILLAGES. -Banksy

Love will tare us apart anti-hero that is using art as a way to reclaim the streets in a good purpose. combines real world problems in a contrast to fluffy and childish features. openly against war and capitalism

People that hold grudges against him are trying to spread his face along with his identity on the Internet.

The general feeling however is that people want to protect his identity. doubt if ‘Banksy’ is in fact a single person, or perhaps a large collective of think-a-likes? I personally would like to think that he is a single man, fighting for his believes. All I do know is that if I ever got the chance to reveal him, I’d leave the mask on.

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER

In 2011, French artist JR made a speech at the famous “TED talks” that combined humour and serious topics around the globe.

JR has become an artist, like Banksy, that uses the obvious to point out a problem.

Paris riots + 28mm lens, JR went and actually talked to the people.

He later printed images on huge papers and posted them in the riches areas of the City, This is a classic example of how JR works. With simple tools he is building bridges between people whose paths otherwise would never cross.

JR went to the border of Israel and Palestine and took images of people with similar occupations, doing silly faces. Like in Paris, he printed the images on huge papers, gluing them next to each other on both sides of the walls.

People were stunned (“I’m putting up images of Israelis next to Palestinians”), he said that the people always went quiet after that and it was then he asked the question

“can you tell who’s who?”.

With simple tools as paper and glue, anyone can try to make a difference in the world.

Perhaps this is an evolution of street art, or it has simply gone back to its original roots.

GUERILLA MARKETING Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Buenos Aires, Argentina for their client AMMAR. Non-profit organization that is working with human rights and to improve laws for sex workers that in the majority are women. *http://www.ibelieveinadv.com/2013/05/ammar-corner/

IKEA the multibillion company that mass produces furniture at a low production and distribution price, could in one way be the face of capitalism seeing that the founder Invard Kamprad ironically enough, is dodging a lot of bullets when it comes to paying taxes in his home county Sweden.

On the other side we have Banksy, who surely by now is in no need for introduction. (Let us just have a reminder of that he is not too fond of capitalism.)

Banksy has in his work a few times used the logo and corporal profile of IKEA to make fun of them.

Having this in mind, the street art inspired marketing campaign from the company it self could be seen as either revenge or plain exploitation of a cheap and innovative way of creative adverts.

Last year (2012), the campaign ‘people bring design to life’ could be seen in metro stations and public areas in Milan.

Banksy has yet, made a statement with his personal opinion. *http://www.thelocal.se/31650/20110126/

DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER Graffiti and illegal street art has different reception to everyone.

We all have different perception even thought we look at the same object. This is the fundamental beauty of street art, you are allowed to your own opinion.

There is no critics in the world that can tell you what to think about Banksy’s latest painted elephant in the room, and guess what? You don’t have to make up your mind either.

*http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/banksy-donates-new-piece-for http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/dec/12/banksy-russia-voina-donation

To many the border between right and wrong is as clear as black and white, however when looking closer at pro graffiti justifications, it actually starts to make sense. Who is to tell you that the wall facing your bedroom window belongs to someone else? Not the property itself but the view of it. You are the one that wakes up every morning having to look at it.

And as the quote goes “better to ask for forgiveness than permission�, evokes a small anarchistic feeling, doesn’t it?

-Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head. –Banksy. “Asking for permission is like asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head.”

–Banksy.