Banksy

        Banksy is the world´s most famous graffiti artist. This strange name comes from an unknoun past, what doesn´t let him known what was his birth name or even when or where he was born. Simply, he has no idea what his identity is! (although rumors say that his real name is Robert or Robin Banks).  But even with all this doubts people say that he was born in 1974, and grew up in Bristol, England. Son of a photocopier technician, he trained to be a butcher, but graffiti called his attention when the "Great Bristol aerosol boom" happened on the late 1980´s. More then just graffiti, Banksy has contributed to the cinema industry too, with his first and single film: "Exit Through The Gift Shop", billed as "the world´s first street art disaster movie". It appeared for the public´s eyes in the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. (The film will be released in the UK on March 5).  Banksy started as a freehand gaffiti artist in 1992-1994, taking part on the DBZ (DryBreadZ) Crew. He was inspired by local artists and his work was part of the larger Bristol underground scene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_underground_scene). Banksy's stencils feature striking and humorous images occasionally combined with slogans. The message is usually anti-war, anti-capitalist or anti-establishment. The subjects included rats, monkeys, policemen, soldiers, children, and the elderly. And now, let´s finish with some demonstration of his artistic works: 

   

     Naked Man image by Banksy, on the wall of a sexual health clinic in Park Street, Bristol. Following popular support, the City Council have decided it will be allowed to remain.                                                         

      

    

  Stencil on the waterline of The Thekla, an entertainment boat in central Bristol. The image of Death is based on a 19th century etching illustrating the pestilence of The Great Stink.

   In late 2001, on a trip to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, he stencilled a parachuting rat with a clothes pin on its nose above a toilet at the Arts Factory Lodge. This stencil can no longer be located.

  Graffiti depicting graffiti removal. Created in May 2008 at Leake Street in London, painted over by August 2008. Notice the animals resembling cave art from Lascaux or Altamira.

   

   ATM attacking a girl, Rosebery Avenue, London, January 2008.

Near Bethlehem - 2005

Asked about his technique, Banksy said:

"I use whatever it takes. Sometimes that just means drawing a moustache on a girl's face on some billboard, sometimes that means sweating for days over an intricate drawing. Efficiency is the key." So...that´s all folks! If somebody´s interested about any other Banksy´s curiosity, just go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy