About Banksy

Born out of the Bristol underground scene Banksy’s work has appeared in
towns and cities all over the world and his distinctive take on modern day
society has gained him world renown and has caused great controversy
wherever his work appears.

So who is Banksy? Banksy is the pseudonym of a prolific British graffiti artist, political activist and painter, whose identity remains unconfirmed. Although he’s been caught on CCTV a few times, he is clever enough to keep his identity a mystery. His refusal to be interviewed in person or even to reveal his real name has added to his mystique over the years.

We may not know his real name, but his art is unmistakably the work of a passionate individual. His paintings, stencils, and other art pieces frequently address serious social issues. He takes on capitalism, war, poverty, and governments with grace.
His work often displays a keen sense of humor, making it equally possible that you will laugh or cast your eyes down thoughtfully upon seeing a Banksy piece.

He was born in or around 1974 and raised in Bristol, England. The son of a photocopier technician, he trained as a butcher but became involved in graffiti during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s. He began to gain widespread notoriety around 2003.

There is good reason for leaving us guessing about Banksy. Banksy’s work has been equated with vandalism on several occasions, and many have called for his prosecution. His choice of subject matter coupled with his medium (typically spray paint on public walls) ruffles feathers no matter where he is (or who he is).

Banksy’s talents aren’t limited to paint and the occasional pencil drawing. He has been responsible for a number of social commentaries involving replacing hundreds of Paris Hilton CDs with CDs of his own creation. He has sneaked his own work into several art museums, including a prehistoric-looking piece at the British Museum which the museum decided to add to their own permanent collection.

Just as controversial as his methods is Banksy’s take on the art world at large. He has been known to deride other artists for their self-importance and “inferior” art forms. He has even taken on the people who buy his art. Following a 2006 Sotheby’s auction of several of his works, he produced an illustration of an auction on his official website featuring the words “I can’t believe you morons actually buy this shit.” He is a vocal opponent of the organized art world, though he now produces some work that is more conventional than his street art roots.

Banksy’s work is applauded by many, but some critics say that it oversimplifies issues to appeal to the masses. Other critics – most notably, representatives from Keep Britain Tidy – believe that Banksy‘s street art is a crime and that he is setting a negative example for other would-be graffiti artists.

Banksy is without a doubt one of the most influential artists working today and he has affected the world of art from Australia to the US and nearly everywhere else in between.

Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti himself, however some art auctioneers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.