Banksy – Unknown Street Graffiti Artist

“Banksy” is a brittish graffiti artist who bases his artwork on his views on political avtivists and is also a very talented painter. Although being talented, Banksy’s identity is unconfirmed. His satirical street art and subversive models combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique. Such artistic works based on political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and even on bridges throughout cities all over the world.


Banksy is to be said as perhaps the most famous, or infamous artist alive. To some members of the public a genius but to others he is a vandal. Always controversial, he inspires admiration and provokes outrage in equal measure.
 

Banksy's work was born out of the bristol underground scene which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. According to author and graphic designer Tristan Mancohas said that Banksy was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England. As the son of a photocopier technician, he worked as a butcher but became interested in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s. People who have seen his art work have said that his style is similar to Blek le Rat, who was a French stencil artist. Since Banksy made his name with his trademark stencil-style 'guerrilla' art in public spaces, on walls in London, Brighton, Bristol and even on the West Bank barrier separating Israel residents and Palestine residents, his works have sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Some of these have been sold to celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera. 

As well as being known for his work, he is also known for his headline making stunts which involve leaving an inflatable doll dressed as a Guantanamo prisoner in Disneyland in California and hanging a version of the Mona Lisa but with a smiley face on it in the Louvre in Paris. 

I like banksy’s work as it always a piece which you would have to look at twice. Also they are funny and most of them have a meaning behind them. The ones which do have a meaning behind them it makes you think twice and then you realise how cleverly he put it together.