Art Without the Artist

BANKSY REDEFINES WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE ART

Written by Arella Warren, Arts Editor Photos contributed by Channing Smith, Art Director

Photographs from Banky exhibit at MOCA Amsterdam

Mysterious, faceless, and easily one of the most iconic artists of our generation: Banksy. Yet who is this enigmatic figure, really? And what is their aim? It is a question that has been pondered for years as street art tagged by Banksy has cropped up all around the world.

In case you aren’t familiar with the artist’s elusive activities, “Banksy” is only a pseudonym, and it has long protected the identity of the individual lurking behind the mask. Although there is a massive amount of theory and speculation on this subject, Banksy’s true identity remains anonymous to the general public.

We do have some details about Banksy’s life and interests, but only those that the artist chooses to disclose to us — even then, our knowledge is limited. Countless explanations have been conjured up by Banksy’s former associates, fans, and other news organizations, though all these sources can really offer us is an unverified guess. Some of the most common rumors cite the names of Robin Gunningham and Robert Del Naja, given their correlation to Bristol, England, Banksy’s confirmed hometown, and their similarities in art style.1 Others claim that Banksy is actually a team of artists.2 Still, all we can really confirm is that Banksy is a talented artist with a lot more to say.

While the question of who Banksy is is certainly an interesting one, I don’t think it matters as much as people think. Society and the media get so caught up in the who of it all when the more valuable thing to consider here is the what and the why. Regardless of Banksy’s private life, the voice that he projects to the public is an exceptionally impactful one.

Banksy’s public work can be traced back to the early 1990s with their participation

1 J. Rogers, “Banksy gives glimpse of his face in ‘very rare’ interview unearthed from 16 years ago,” The Sun, July 4, 2019. 2 K. Nichols and A. Duncan, “Banksy - Biography and Legacy,” The Art Story, Feb. 16, 2021. in Bristol’s graffiti gang, the DryBreadZ Crew.3 Though they started out as a freehand graffiti artist, they quickly developed a unique and captivating style of their own through the use of intricate stencils, gaining a public following in the process.4 Their audience and attraction has only increased since then, as Banksy’s art continues to make a bold statement.

A street artist’s work is often lost in the masses of tags and vandalism that fills the cities: But the anonymous Banksy stands out. Some of their appeal is certainly in their mystery, but it would be a massive discredit to Banksy to overlook the powerful message behind their art. Banksy’s work often touches on politicallycharged topics such as warfare, capitalism, commodification, pop culture advertising, and greed, offering a critical commentary on these issues and serving to highlight the hypocrisies and faults of modern-day government through their satirical edge. →

3 Ibid. 4 Ibid.

A street artist’s work is often lost in the masses of tags and vandalism that fills the cities: But the anonymous Banksy stands out.

Banksy’s art features recurring visual motifs, such as rats, children, balloons, and policemen, and is often done entirely in black and white stencil with accents of red or other bright pops of color. Many of these pieces are paired with a sharp slogan or quote, altogether forging an aesthetic which has become characteristically “Banksy.” Even so, graffiti isn’t the only medium Banksy shines in.

Throughout the early 2000s, having already established a name for themself, Banksy began creating and publicizing a range of three-dimensional works and interactive art installations. Notably, their exhibit featuring a live elephant in the room; their production and public distribution of thousands of stylized ten pound notes, featuring the caption “Banksy of England”; their unsolicited installment of a Guantanamo Bay prison camp doll at Disneyland; and their choice to fill a slaughterhouse delivery truck with stuffed animals that was driven around cities, among others.5 You might already be familiar with Banksy’s 2010 documentary, titled “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” and nominated for an Academy Award.6

As the hype around Banksy continues to rise, so does their public worth. Their stencils have been sawed out of concrete walls to be sold at auction houses, while celebrities and art curators have spent upwards of millions on acquiring an authentic Banksy piece.7 Still, this was never the artist’s initial intention. Banksy has been quoted to say “Commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist. We’re not supposed to be embraced in that way.”8'

At the end of the day, it seems that Banksy chooses to lead such an obscure and anonymous career because it isn’t about them — it’s about the message, and the way that art is able to deliver that message in such a momentous way.

5 K. Nichols and A. Duncan, “Banksy - Biography and Legacy,” The Art Story, Feb. 16, 2021. 6 Biography.com Editors, “Banksy Biography,” The Biography.com website, April 2, 2014. 7 K. Nichols and A. Duncan, “Banksy - Biography and Legacy,” The Art Story, Feb. 16, 2021. 8 Ibid. For all the praise Banksy has received, there has been an equal amount of criticism. Many critics have claimed that Banksy is a sellout given the amount of commercial interest they have received, and don’t appreciate their straightforward stencil style. Others reproach Banksy for their unsolicited displays of graffiti and raise cries of vandalism, a controversial topic in the art community. As an artist myself, I think these are both shallow critiques which undervalue the power of art, especially when it comes down the question of street art versus vandalism.

I don’t think anybody condones the destruction of property or defamation of public spaces through vandalism, but our world has a lot of problems. And it is these problems that modern, upper-class society turns a blind eye to that Banksy and other street artists like them refuse to let pass unseen.

Banksy is out there and they are doing something that makes people stop and think. And what else is there to art? To creativity? The essence of creativity is outof-the-box, divergent thinking. It means to stimulate the brain in unique and novel ways; to create new connections between the synapses; to inspire; to provoke. That’s what Banksy does, and that’s why they are so profound.

Banksy doesn’t conform to social standards about what art can and can’t be, and I think there’s a lesson here for us all. Speak out, take a stance, form your own voice, think differently, and challenge others to think differently in the process. ■