Banksy: The Art Terrorist

Intro

Banksy, a street artist who is often referred to as the “Art Terrorist”, is one of the most controversial artist of 21st century. Rising to prominence in the late 1990s, Banksy continues to make a mark in the art world today with his testy pieces and unorthodox exhibition spaces. He is believed to have been born around 1974 in Bristol, England, however this information has not yet been validated due to the artists’ concealed existence. Because of this, his identity remains anonymous - despite heightened speculations. Nonetheless, his guerrilla-style artwork speaks depths about society and often challenges the status-quo while also inadvertently helping to transform the way in which people perceive street art. As a result, many people today now see this raw style of art as one that is reputable and noteworthy.

Death of a Phone Booth (2006)

3D Sculpture made with a telephone box, pickax, and red paint

Death of a Phone Booth (2006)

Dimensions unknown

The crooked, red telephone booth appeared overnight on a street in Soho, London. Dark red paint seemingly oozed down the side of its frame and an axe held on firmly to its platform to look as if someone had actually attacked it. The sculpture quickly caught the attention of pedestrians, and spectators claim that two groups were eventually formed - one being those who were in awe of the amazing artwork while the other was composed with those who had denounced the sculpture as mere vandalism. Still, much conversation had been generated from this presentation which only settled in the area for a short period of time before getting removed by the Westminister Council. The unorthodox showcase in Soho even propelled British Telecommunications (BTs), the company that owned the phone booth, to weigh in on the situation. According to "New York Times" (2006), a BT’s spokesperson has said; “This is a stunning visual comment on BT's transformation from an old-fashioned telecoms company into a modern communications services provider.” (para. Calling All Conceptual Artists) —communicating their amusement and appreciation of this piece.

A number of different theories have spurred from this particular sculpture in an attempt to assign meaning to the artwork. However, one popular conjecture is that the sculpture signifies the demise of past communication mechanisms, such as the telephone (booth), as we enter a new and dynamic world of communication. The existence of the telephone booth has undeniably become non-existent in the past decade and traditional home telephone systems are slowly being pushed out as well. Hence this understanding is a mere assumption, thus confirmation of its context still rest in the hands of Banksy.

The Sirens of the Lambs (2013)

A mobile sculpture piece created with a slaughterhouse truck, a variety of stuffed animals, and a male driver.

The Sirens of the Lambs (2013)

Dimensions unknown

In 2013, Banksy made another unprecedented move when he created a mobile art sculpture called the Sirens of the Lambs. The sculpture, which typifies Banksy’s usual satirical motives, utilized ready made materials such as a used slaughterhouse truck, a driver, and a variety of stuffed animals. The label “Farm Fresh Meats” had been inscribed on the driver’s side of the truck’s cabin and the cuddly stuffed animals peeked out of the automobile screeching loud enough to demand the attention of bystanders. Ironically (and totally Banksy’s style), the truck made rounds in the Meatpacking district and often slowed down or stopped in front of community meat market companies.

Thoughts shared on the mobile sculpture range from amusement to horror. For example, a NPR reporter declared; “The piece is somehow hilarious and horrifying at the same time, like an episode of The Muppets gone terribly wrong.” (NPR, 2013). However, many ascribe the moving installation as a way to confront animal cruelty. Speculators have said that Banksy is simply asking us to pay attention and “address issues that we prefer to sweep under the carpet.” ("Care2", 2013). Like most of his work, this piece has left observers with much to think about.

The Elephant in the Room (2006)

Sculpture piece made with a living adult elephant named Tai and 12 liters of child-safe paint

The Elephant in the Room (2006)

Dimensions: 8’ 10” x unknown width

One of Banksy’s most controversial pieces, named The Elephant in the Room, debuted at his first US exhibition - “Barely Legal”. This piece showcased Tai, a 38-year-old elephant, whom was painted to match the color pattern on the wall. Tai (the elephant) was free to walk around the provided space and snack on carrots - one of her favorite foods - and sources have confirmed that she appeared to be stress-free and comfortable. Nevertheless, animal rights activists were less than thrilled about the paint that was placed on her body. Thus they challenged the permit that was granted to Banksy for the exhibition and ultimately won. As a result, Tai’s owners were instructed to immediately remove the paint from her body. Weighing in on the situation, the head of the Los Angeles's Animal Services Department stated, "The paint they had been using, although non-toxic, according to government regulations was unsafe, and even illegal to use the way they had been using it” (Boks, E., 2006). He went on to say; “speaking in general about the use of the elephant, I think it sends a very wrong message that abusing animals is not only OK, it's an art form. We find it no longer acceptable to dye baby chicks at Easter, but it's OK to dye an elephant. Permits will not be issued for such frivolous abuse of animals in the future.” (Boks, E., 2006). With one day left in the show, Tai made her final appearance in the exhibition space, although this time she appeared unpainted.

The meaning behind this sculpture almost seems self-explanatory. However, this time it appears as though Banksy’s goal was to be a little more transparent than usual. Accordingly, description cards were issued at the door which read: There's an elephant in the room. There's a problem we never talk about. “The statement went on to say there were billions of people living below the poverty line.” (The Guardian, 2006). With this piece Banksy upholds his unique delivery of messages through his artwork. He once again tackled a critical, and often ignored, issue that plagues the world today - forcing his diverse population of fans to question and/or challenge the status quo.

Conclusion

Banksy is undoubtedly a mysterious character whose intentions are not always understood. His “guerrilla” tactics are sometimes frowned upon by conservatives but his talent can hardly be denied. He creates artwork that generates necessary conversations and forces us, as a society, to open our eyes and pay attention to what is going on in the world around us. The mystery that surrounds his existence only makes the experience of viewing his work more intriguing. Overall, Banksy is an art-revolutionist who will someday receive the well deserved recognition of being one of the “Greats” of our time.

References

Care2. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.care2.com/causes/does-banksys-siren-of-the-lambs-help-confront-animal-cruelty.html
New York Times. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/08/arts/08arts.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0
NPR. (2013). Banksy's Latest Work Takes On The Meat Industry ... With Puppets. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/10/16/235334278/banksys-latest-work-takes-on-the-meat-industry-with-puppets
The Guardian. (2006). Banksy's painted elephant is illegal, say officials. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/sep/18/arts.artsnews