Banksy. The pseudonymous artist first emerged on the graffiti art scene in Bristol around about 1990. His works gained in popularity through the 1990s and continue to feature striking and humorous images occasionally combined with words or slogans.
Banksy’s art often combines humour with anti-war, anti-capitalist, or anti-establishment messages.
The Exhibition
With so much mystery already, an impromptu invitation to a Banksy exhibition in Dubai uncovers even more questions. The exhibition features over 120 ’recreated’ pieces of Banksy art supported by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.
It is well known that Banksy encourages his art to be copied and shared. One of the artworks featured in the exhibition is his witty statement against art as a commodity “Copyright is for losers(C-TM)”. This is a theme through much of his work, not to mention the famous shredding after the Sotheby’s auction of Balloon Girl in 2018.
So with all these anti-capitalist, anti-establishment messages I can’t help but wonder, who put the exhibition together? Was it authorized? And most importantly (or perhaps least importantly, depending on your point of view), who is gaining from the ticket sales? And despite all this, is it really as it seems. The Copyright work may also be a slightly ironic statement while a legal battle for intellectual property (IP) rights over his work continues.
Because no one, least of all me, has any answers to these questions, I decide to focus on the art. As such, I have chosen a selection of my favourite pieces and those that made me think or smile the most, to share with you here.
Balloon Girl/Love is in the Bin
Girl with Balloon or Balloon Girl as previously mentioned is perhaps one of Banksy’s most recognisable pieces (see above). The girl first appeared as a stencilled mural on Waterloo Bridge in London in 2002. Various sets of signed and unsigned prints were subsequently produced.
The simple yet powerful image of a young girl with arm extended towards a balloon. It is unclear whether she has let the balloon go or is trying to catch it. The piece has been said to represent innocence, dreams and hope but could also be interpreted as a loss of these things.
In 2018, Sotheby’s auctioned a 2006 print which was famously shredded in a stunt by the artist. After the hammer fell at the auction, the picture began to be shredded through a mechanism hidden in the frame. The piece has since been renamed Love is in the Bin. The shredded version is estimated to be worth even more than the £1m paid for the original framed version at auction.
When a copy of Girl with Balloon was sold at auction in 2007, along with a number of other works, Banksy updated his website with a piece dubbed Morons. An auction house scene with a framed print that reads “I can’t believe you morons actually buy this shit”.
Leopard and Barcode
Another relatively early work, Leopard and Barcode or Barcode Leopard, was first exhibited in 2002. The work depicts a leopard that appears to have escaped from its cage. The cage itself is made of a barcode. The piece can be interpreted as an anti-capitalist statement of being freed from capitalism or the ability to break away from consumerist behaviors.
Show Me The Monet
Another witty anti consumerism statement, Show me the Monet (2005) denounces consumerisms contempt for the environment. By taking Monet’s famous Water Lilies and turning them into a dumping ground, Banksy takes a dig at the desire for endless purchases and the role this plays in endangering flora and fauna.
Banksy commented on the piece saying that the “vandalised paintings reflect life as it is now”.
Washing Zebra Stripes
The Washing Zebra Stripes mural appeared in Timbuktu, Mali in 2008. It reveals an African woman hangout out a zebra’s stripes to dry for which much meaning can be imbued. At its most innocent, it is merely a clever image revealing a “naked” zebra. Given the location of the original work, the political, environment and humanitarian statement is more evident. The woman is washing the stripes of a zebra whereby either the zebra is really a white horse masquerading as a zebra or the woman is wasting water washing the stripes. Here the artist is hinting at how easy it is for the West to get water whilst the African continent and its people have little access to fresh water.
Clacton Pigeon Mural
The Clacton Pigeons appeared in 2014 in Clacton-on-Sea. The grumpy bunch of grey pigeons protest at the immigration of a lovely green migratory bird with placards stating “migrants not welcome”, “go back to Africa” and “keep off our worms”.
The simple stencil was destroyed but its powerful message of the impact of anti-immigration sentiments and racist behaviors lives on.
Copyright is for Losers
Copyright versus Trademarks. In 2018 a trademark infringement case was brought against an Italian company after a Banksy exhibition in Milan. Despite Banksy widely touting that “copyright is for losers”, the exhibition encouraged visitors to ‘exit through the gift shop’. The gift shop contained all manner of Banksy branded products.
Banksy’s original copyright statement was aimed at non-commercial use of his works which he has openly encouraged. However, he quite obviously took opposition to the use of his works for commercial gain by instigating the trademark case.
While copyright is generally aimed at protecting an image, the fact that Banksy’s art is generally displayed in public places makes copyright a tricky one.
A trademark on the other hand aims to prevent other parties from using your name or brand/tag/label. Once again, Banksy’s unknown identity makes this argument a bit of a problem.
Regardless of his legal disputes the range of political, humanitarian and environmental statement wrapped up in humor and wit make this a very thought provoking yet enjoyable exhibition.
Good To Know
The World of Banksy exhibition is at the Theatre at the Mall of the Emirates showing from 5 April to 30 June 2021.
Would I Return?
Yes. But it would be better to see it in ‘real’ life.