Internationally known graffiti artist, Banksy, has concealed his identity and remained unknown throughout his ubiquitous career. His secretive nature combined with his anti-establishment, anti-capitalist and anti-war outlook, define Banksy as one of the most celebrated and recognised names in the modern art world and as an ever present shadow of our generation. Read on to discover this man of mystery and his impact on modern society.
The Birth of Banksy
Banksy grew up in Bristol in the UK and is thought to have been born c.1974. Starting out as a freehand graffiti artist from a young age in the early 1990s, he used the streets of Bristol as his canvases and at the time was part of a graffiti group called the DryBreadZ Crew. He later adopted the name of ‘Banksy’ to mask his identity from prying eyes and essentially to avoid being arrested for his illegal artistic activities.
Stencilling in Secret
He was greatly influenced by the French graffiti artist Blek le Rat, who like Banksy, used stencils as a way of creating his pieces. Having previously worked largely freehanded, Banksy made the switch to stencils in the late 1900s for which his works are now predominantly recognised by. Recurring themes across his works include rats (supposedly linked to his influencer), soldiers, children, policemen and celebrities.
One of the main reasons for using stencils was the reduction of time it took him to produce a work, which was obviously a key factor when wanting to remain anonymous. Using publicly visible surfaces from London to Palestine to host his often politically charged images, the hype and controversy surrounding the discovery of a new piece is phenomenal, causing the illegal nature of the act to be overlooked most of the time.
Who is the true Banksy?
Banksy has made his mark not only through being a graffiti artist but also as a painter, a sculptor, a filmmaker and an activist. Metaphorically embodying all these personas lead him to receive an award in 2007 for being Art’s Greatest Living Briton, although in true Banksy fashion, he did not show up to accept the award.
There has much speculation as to his true identity, however as of today it still remains a mystery.
Straddling the verge of becoming mainstream or maintaining his anonymity as a rebel of society, Banksy is perhaps the most enigmatic artist in the modern day art world. With his ultimate goal of art being available to everyone, he stated, “When you go to an art gallery you are simply a tourist looking at the trophy cabinet of a few millionaires.”
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