Banksy & the Rise of Outlaw Art

Banksy is the pseudonym of a "guerrilla" street creative person known for his controversial, and often politically themed, stenciled pieces.

Who Is Banksy?

Banksy, a street artist whose identity remains unknown, is believed to accept been born in Bristol, England, around 1974. He rose to prominence for his provocative stenciled pieces in the late 1990s. Banksy is the subject of a 2010 documentary, Exit Through the Gift Store, which examines the relationship between commercial and street art.

Banksy's Identity

Banksy's identity remains unknown, despite intense speculation. The ii names near often suggested are Robert Banks and Robin Gunningham. Pictures that surfaced of a human who was supposedly Banksy pointed toward Gunningham, an creative person who was born in Bristol in 1973. Gunningham moved to London around 2000, a timeline that correlates with the progression of Banksy's artwork.

Artwork

Banksy began his career every bit a graffiti artist in the early 1990s, in Bristol's graffiti gang DryBreadZ Crew. Although his early on work was largely freehand, Banksy used stencils on occasion. In the late '90s, he began using stencils predominantly. His piece of work became more widely recognized around Bristol and in London, as his signature style developed.

What Is Banksy Known for?

Banksy'south artwork is characterized by striking images, often combined with slogans. His work often engages political themes, satirically critiquing war, capitalism, hypocrisy and greed. Mutual subjects include rats, apes, policemen, members of the majestic family, and children. In addition to his two-dimensional work, Banksy is known for his installation artwork. One of the most historic of these pieces, which featured a live elephant painted with a Victorian wallpaper pattern, sparked controversy among creature rights activists.

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West Banking company

Other pieces have fatigued attention for their edgy themes or the boldness of their execution. Banksy'due south work on the Westward Depository financial institution barrier, between Israel and Palestine, received significant media attention in 2005. He is also known for his use of copyrighted material and subversion of classic images. An case of this is Banksy's version of Monet's famous series of water lilies paintings, adapted by Banksy to include drifting trash and debris.

'The Banksy Result'

Banksy's worldwide fame has transformed his artwork from acts of vandalism to sought-after high art pieces. Announcer Max Foster has referred to the rising prices of graffiti as street fine art as "the Banksy effect." Interest in Banksy escalated with the release of the 2010 documentary Go out Through the Gift Store. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for an Academy Laurels.

In October 2013, Banksy took to the streets of New York Urban center. There he pledged to create a new piece of art for each twenty-four hour period of his residency. As he explained to the Village Voice, "The plan is to live here, react to things, run into the sights — and paint on them. Some of it will be pretty elaborate, and some will just exist a scrawl on a toilet wall." During that calendar month, he also sold some of his works on the street for $60 a piece, well below the market value for his art.

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