Throughout the streets of London and a handful of other cities around the world, you can find murals, paintings and thought provoking artwork by Banksy. The only catch is that it’s illegal graffiti. Banksy is the artist's name and no one knows who they are. They have masked their identity and have gone unknown throughout their career since the 1990’s.
There have been many conspiracy theories that have been tossed around as to who the mystery artist is. One of which is that Banksy is a group of people working together. However, I believe that it is one person. The cohesiveness of their work gives the allusion of one artist, but who knows, that could be their ploy.
One of Banksy’s Instagram posts reveals that they have a wife, so it seems with time maybe we will unmask their identity, or maybe not because part of the beauty is the mystery.
Banksy has made it clear that they do not want their art to be bought or sold, which reflects their stance on the rise of capitalism. Their art has been in numerous auctions and sometimes Banksy will post a picture from inside the auction room, giving the idea that they were actually at the auction, with a caption disapproving of the sale. Banksy posting from inside the auction house gives such a surreal notion that if you were at the auction you could've been sitting next to the artist themselves and had no clue. The power that Banksy gives with just one simple post is astonishing.
One of Banksy's most recent auction endeavors was the Painting entitled “Girl With Balloon.” It was being sold in the Sotheby's Auction House in London, and just after it was bought for nearly 1.3 million dollars, the painting started shredding in its frame. Banksy then posted on Instagram a picture of the painting mid-shred with the caption “Going, going, gone…”
The graffiti itself is so powerful and intriguing that people travel from all over to try and see one of Banksy’s artworks before it is covered up by either the artists themselves or by authority figures.
According to pbs.org, graffiti started skyrocketing in the 70’s, primarily on trains and signature tagging on street walls.
“We all know that Banksy functions in a legal grey area. While the act itself is illegal, his reputation and subsequent value means that his works are often protected in an official capacity,” said writer for Compulsive Contents, Edd Norval.
“Would the work be worth as much if it wasn’t breaking the rules?” asks LN art teacher Nichole Riley.
I think that the art wouldn't be worth as much because it wouldn’t get as much attention if Banksy wasn’t breaking the law. The paintings and murals deserve the status that are associated with them but without the ‘following’ that Banksy has, their messages wouldn't be as powerful, therefore limiting its appeal.
In several cases Banksy’s murals have been painted over by city officials or by the property owners. In 2017 a Brexit mural was painted of a man on a ladder chipping a flag and the next day it was covered in white paint.
“Oh. I had planned that on the day of Brexit I was going to change the piece in Dover to this. But seems they’ve painted over it. Nevermind. I guess a big white flag says it just as well,” said Banksy in an Instagram post in regards to the painted over mural.
Having Banksy’s work being illegal adds a level of commitment and risk that many artists wouldn’t take, but it shows how passionate and serious the topics are that are being portrayed.