STOP AND SEARCH for Banksy (Part 1): Introducing the Character

Stop and Search, Banksy (2007)

   

    When my daughter was three, we decided to remodel our house.   Before I, even, poured paint into the tray and cut in the edges, I handed her a box of crayons, pointed her toward the wall, and said, “Go for it!”  At first, she was hesitant—I had always told her, never, to write on the walls.  Oddly, I was, now, giving her carte blanche with the living room wall.  She only thought about it for a second, before grabbing the crayons and creating her first (and last) wall masterpiece.  Once she had finished, I took a photo of her standing, proudly, next to her graffiti.  Honestly, I hated painting over it.  

   We are taught this type of lesson, early in life—never write on the walls, never destroy someone else’s property, never, never, never… We know, that if we are caught breaking that rule, there will be consequences.  Still, there are those who break the rules, get caught, and pay the consequences.  

    And, then…there’s Banksy. 

     Whether the topic is politics, sports, or the weather, we all have opinions.  Normal people will have discussions (or arguments) to voice these opinions.  Artists are a different breed: we create.  I suppose, it is our passive-aggressive way to get the point across.  If it can be drawn or painted upon, sculpted or deconstructed, we will use it to create, with every fiber of our being.  We will, then, put it on display and give you the long, very detailed explanation of the meaning behind the piece.  We do it to make a point or right a wrong or redirect a thought or a feeling.  Few of us will go so far as to vandalize property that is not our own.  Yes, I used the “V” word.  After all, that’s what graffiti is—vandalism.  Right?  Just to make certain, let us check Webster’s and see if there is a connection between the two.  

Vandalism (noun): willful or malicious destruction or defacement of public or private property 

Graffiti (noun):  usually unauthorized writing or drawing on a public surface. (verb) to deface with graffiti

And, there it is, highlighted in bold print.  Deface.  The common word, which intertwines vandalism with graffiti, is “deface.”  Graffiti’s quality of defacing makes it vandalism. Vandalism, which is frowned upon in society, is considered illegal throughout the world.  

    So, why am I on a soapbox about vandalism and graffiti?  Well, I am on a quest.  It is not a new quest, in and of itself.   It is, however, a fresh exploration for me.  

    As an artist, I am interested in all types of art and all sorts of artists.  With this blog, I am sharing everything, that I learn about those artists and their works.  Most recently, I have set my radar on an anonymous British graffiti artist from Bristol, who goes by the name of “Banksy.”

 

Photograph by Banksy for Time

      Banksy, whose current description reads like a police APB, is a white male in his 50s. That is it.  That is all we know.  Above, is the most recent, authorized photo of the artist.  I kid you not.  This photo is Banksy’s headshot from Time magazine’s 2010 “The Time 100” issue.  How on earth did a known vandal make Time’s list of most influential people?  It’s a fair question, and one that I have been tossing around.  You may, also, marvel at his ability to elude the police.  Eventually, people like Banksy get caught.  Right?  The most amazing detail in his cunning: he has remained elusive for over 20 years!  Admittedly, this is an estimate, as I have found that any information gathered about him on the internet will, at some point, contradict itself.  

Drip Dinner, Banksy (2003)

     In 2003, he gave his first legitimate art show, “Turf Wars,” at an abandoned warehouse in Hackney. Nigel Wrench, a BBC correspondent, had the privilege of interviewing the artist prior to its opening.  I found this interview on the BBC Sounds podcast, “The Banksy Story,” which is produced, researched, and delivered by James Peak.  Mr. Peak spoke with Nigel Wrench about his famous Banksy interview.  Mr. Wrench, graciously, provided the audio tape of the event.  

    During the interview, he asked the artist if he would be attending the opening of “Turf Wars.” Banksy, astutely, stated he would not attend, as his type of art (graffiti) wasn’t something that an artist could stand in front of and shake hands.  He followed this with, “If you don’t show up and people don’t know who you are, then you’re a character, really.  You can mean different things to different people.”

    Just to clarify, this was a live interview.  You hear the voice of a man, who claims to be Banksy.  It is, also, the same voice, that you can hear on a call made to an American radio station, by a man claiming to be Banksy.  While the radio station would have only heard his voice, Nigel Wrench, the aforementioned BBC correspondent, saw the man!  Now, I understand, that reporters protect their sources, and Mr. Wrench isn’t giving him up; but, this proves, that someone has been in the same room as the person, who identifies himself as Banksy, and could positively identify that man in a police lineup.  

    So, how hard could it be to track him down?  If one person knows him, it stands to reason that others do, as well.  And…they do.   People have admitted that they know him or have worked with him or have spoken with him; but, they refuse to give him up.  That, my friend, is the crux of the matter.  It leads to suspicions and accusations and copycats.  There are so many theories circulating that it is, almost, impossible to keep track of them.  There is, even, a suggestion that Banksy is not a person, but is, in fact, a team.

    Have I discovered who he is?  I have an opinion; but, I think I will, just, present you with the info, about the character that is Banksy, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.  Over the coming weeks, I will be delving into the enigma and sharing what I find, on here.  I hope you will join me.  All of my sources will be linked below this post.  

    Where do I stand on the issue of graffiti being vandalism?  Allow me to answer that by saying…Banksy, if you, by some miracle, stumble across this blog while (like Peter Pan) searching for stories about yourself, hit me up in the comments—I have a house I need tagged.  

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭32‬

Have a look for yourself: the sources  

The Story Behind Banksy

The Banksy Story (BBC Podcast with James Peak)

Stop and Search

Drip Dinner

Banksy’s Time photo