Why Banksy is not your Regular Street Artist
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Before comparing Banksy to those amazing street artists out there, we have to understand the aesthetic and motive of Banksy. We have to get to know more about Banksy in-depth and emphasize his uniqueness compared to all artists.
Artistic Knowledge
Even though Banksy is a world-renowned artist, there are rumors of him not going to an art school. Nevertheless, we do not have any concrete evidence of Banksy’s past education.
Some may question his artistic knowledge due to the use of stencils and spray paints, doubting the actual skill he possesses. Traditional art requires dedication and practice. Each brush stroke of color is worth years of experience, irreplaceable and unerasable, especially in an urban environment.
It’s absurd how people with so little knowledge about graffiti treat it like street waste and garbage. Owners of stores often cover it up with paint, but that would waste all the effort artists put in. The irony is when paintings are sold in an auction, they would never be called junk but “so-called” art. Spray paint ain’t just a kid’s toy, but a skill-required way for adults to express their inner selves.
In spray painting, if your distances are far too wide from the wall, it would be blurred, and vice versa, it would be too sharp. Pressed too hard, it becomes liquid and bleeds, pressed too soft, you get nothing out of the chamber.
SHOW ME THE MONET (2005)
a thought-provoking recreation of the classic piece
But if you still hesitate to dive deeper into Banksy, let’s take a look at the common medium, oil paint. An example would be his past oil painting exhibition Crude Oils.
He is showing his artistic prowess and experience in traditional mediums.
There is no doubt that he is an expert in his craft, both in bold expression and fine-tuning, allowing him to do counterdrawing in past masters like Monet. But adjusting and adding a bit of Banksy in it. Dumping shopping carts and traffic cones into The Water Lily Pond, created Show Me The Monet.
The aesthetic of Banksy
Black and White
Banksy’s artistic style and use of color in street art have evolved throughout his career, though his work has remained stencil-based.
What can be seen in virtually every one of his older pieces are black-and-white subjects, creating distinct contrasted images.
This monochrome style became one of his signatures, representing his boldness and emphasis. Sometimes Banksy often creates a strong visual impact by placing his artwork in unexpected locations that seem to be weird and lack any connections with one another, such as on the edges of brick walls or the side of a building. This creates a harsh contrast between the artwork and its surroundings but provides context for the art piece.
Let It Snow (2018)
a seasonal greetings from Banksy at Christmas
By using a corner of the wall to create two images with distinct contexts in Let It Snow, Banksy created a clear juxtaposition. In one angle, the boy seems to enjoy the snow raining down, but a dumpster is burning behind the kid’s back, creating dust and ash particles as an illusion of snow. The structure in the environment made this possible, showing the irony of him sticking his tongue out. He is embracing what he thinks to be the beauty of nature, but he will never be able to see the truth. Human objection to the government often causes minorities to endure the suffering they created, but nobody seems to consider them and think from their perspective.
From monochrome to polychrome
Over time, a limited palette is incorporated in his works as accents and tints of primary colors. Diversity started to emerge in the current works, from more gray-scale to neon poster colors, causing hues to be more freely spoken with the added variety. Subjects started to range from war references to modern machinery, and 2D spray paintings to 3D sculptures, both existing outsides and insides. Some trails of airbrushes and rollers could be seen in his newer artworks, proving the existence of revolution in Banksy’s art.
The Colored Rain (2009)
Banksy uses dripping colors from the walls, and letting gravity do its work. The diverse color variations create the image of a rainbow rain, marking the start of his usage of colors. The girl with the red coat in the painting is like Banksy himself, embracing the joy of creation with painting, developing a new self, and a new style. But other people are still dodging the undodgeable like the dull-suited man on the left, not facing the changing world. The difference in Banksy’s drawing style in the same painting shows the development he experienced, from simple to vibrant.
Diversity
Apart from common two-dimensional drawings he made, there are other forms of products he has created during his career, including short videos and miniatures. There is this YouTube channel called banksyfilm, with documentation of his quoted “spraycations” and his findings around the world, and a sprinkle of fictional films. Everything seems pretty random but it helps build the character of Banksy.
Baby Mobile (2019)
a ceiling-mounted sculpture featuring 19 CCTV cameras above a crib
This piece comments on the surveillance culture and overprotective parenting in contemporary society. It’s not shown how big the object is in real life, but you can guess that it’s just a figure with a size that can be stored in a cardboard box. He incorporated the surrealism style in a lot of sculptures and posted them on his website, using dreamlike fantasies to show his beliefs.
UKraine video (2022)
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For instance, he published a video called Ukraine a year ago, sharing behind-the-scenes footage of him painting in the warzone. There is this quote a Ukrainian mother said to the camera with her son alongside, “We already cried so much we don’t have any tears left.” The kid’s kindergarten was bombed into pieces and left debris behind. Although the video is not edited perfectly, with barely any full renders and a few drone shots, it shows his dedication to stopping the war in his way.
Banksy In depth
Banksy’s most common element in his pieces is usually challenging societal norms, prompting viewers to question the world around them. Thus creating attention to society’s issues such as war, inequality, and authority. His anonymity adds an air of mystery to his creations, allowing the focus to remain solely on the visual narration of statements he is trying to convey. As we dive deeper into Banksy's artistry, we uncover layers of meaning and a profound dedication to using art as a tool for evoking viewers’ emotions and empathy.
Personal Commentary
Flower Thrower (2003)
the lovely hooded protestor
Flower Thrower is one of the most iconic pieces recognized by the public, showing a masked protester, wearing a hoodie and throwing a bouquet. He seemed fierce and engaging in the middle of a violent confrontation or violence. But when you look closer, the presence of colored flowers is against his brutal actions, creating a conflict in this piece. This shows the human desire for peace and social change; existing in a lot of Banksy’s work, serving as an imagery of a rejection of aggression.
Irony
Christ with Shopping Bags (2004)
the Christ on the cross after shopping
Christ with Shopping Bags showcases Jesus Christ nailed to the cross, hanging from the wooden plank, bleeding. The halo around his head represents his identity as a Holy Spirit.
Banksy is known for submerging irony and dark humor into their work, often through the juxtaposition of seemingly innocent and playful metaphors with more provocative meanings often through visual comparison or puns.
In this case, both of Jesus’ hands are carrying shopping bags containing gifts and presents. It criticizes modern consumerism and commercialism at Christmas. The original purpose of celebrating Jesus’ rebirth is lost, and instead, It is used to benefit others through gifts and presents.
Temporary
Many of Banksy’s street pieces are supposed to be short-term viewing. They are designed to be fleeting on the wall as it rains, respecting nature's biodegradation and highlighting the characters of urban environment paintings. Therefore, stencils are used for quick removal and paint job applications.
If you have a chance to see his working process, cardboard, and paper are often used for the stencil created, and a razor blade is used to cut out simple shapes for application. No complicated metal or plastic sheets are used in the making of the graffiti.
The Migrant Child (2019)
located on the Grand Canal and faded as waves eroded it
Conclusion
Despite Banksy’s efforts in the evolution towards more diverse creations, Banksy's work remains instantly recognizable for its powerful, socially engaged imagery and the artist's unique aesthetic. The development of Banksy's style, from black and white to an increasingly vibrant palette, has allowed his art to plant roots in people’s minds and has even impacted others’ lives.
To put it that way, if you’re still wondering why Banksy is not you regular street artist, it’s because he combines his artistic style with personal commentary mixed with a little bit of irony, providing a bold and distinctive look to the art world.
But do they all leave us room to imagine what message he is trying to convey or are some of his art pieces just nonsense pieces of bullsh*t..? That's up to us…
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