Banksy

The British Graffiti artist Banksy has been plying his trade for nearly twenty years and, during that time, has courted controversy with his contempt for the labelling of graffiti as ‘vandalism’. As his popularity has grown, combined with the value of his work, opinion has been polarised. You either love or you hate it. We love it.

To his followers he is an anti-hero who pricks the public conscience. Others consider him to be no more than a vandal who sprays his subversive epigrams on public property. Many view him as unique and irreverent.

His most famous street paintings, a series of black-and-white stenciled rats, continued the work of Parisian street artist Blek le Rat. Although, Banksy added a new element of playful humour and social commentary.

Many of these rats are created to be larger than life. The rats have become immensely popular with London pedestrians. Some believe Banksy was using the rats as a visual anagram of art but, even he admitted, he’d been painting them a few years before someone pointed that out.

This is all part of the mystery surrounding Banksy, turning urban myths into legendary tales. From paying his bike repair bills with prints and canvases therefore, creating Britain’s richest bike mechanic; to his expulsion from school, regardless of his claim of being ‘not guilty’, as the catalyst for themes of social justice in his work.

I’ll leave the last word on the subject to Banksy: ‘People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish… but that’s only if it’s done properly.’

Special thanks to slamm