Banksy paintings with titles. Banksy's best works

« Pulp Fiction" © Banksy

Banksy has long been the most famous street artist in the world - it's hard to argue with that. His work constantly appears on the streets and in galleries in different countries, and at the same time he still manages to maintain anonymity. The mystery of Banksy's identity further fuels interest in both the artist himself and his work. In 2008, journalist Claudia Joseph published in the English newspaper The Mail On Sunday under the headline: “Graffiti artist Banksy exposed as a former public school student from a middle-class suburb.” We bring to your attention a translation of this interesting and very thorough journalistic investigation.

"Flower Thrower" © Banksy

He is probably the most famous living artist. Some consider him a genius, others - a vandal. He is always controversial, and arouses admiration and anger in equal measure. Since Banksy became famous for his “guerrilla” stencil paintings, in public places: On walls in London, Brighton, Bristol and even the West Bank, his work sells for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Among his collectors are dozens of stars: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera.

He also became famous for his daring antics that made headlines: he left an inflatable doll dressed as a Guantanamo Bay prisoner at Disneyland in California, and hung a reproduction of the Mona Lisa with a “smiley face” in the Louvre. But perhaps the biggest provocation that constantly haunts the minds of the public is that Banksy's identity has always been a mystery, a jealously guarded secret known only to a few trusted friends.

Banksy's personality is surrounded by myths. As if his real name was Robin Banks. That he used to be a butcher. That his parents don’t know what their son is doing and think that he is a very successful artist and decorator. There is also a hypothesis that Banksy is actually a collective of artists, and a person with that name does not exist. Banksy's identity is such a source of curiosity that when he throws a pizza box into a trash bin in Los Angeles, it appears on eBay: the man who put it up for auction believes that the anchovies left in the box may contain traces of the artist's DNA .

© Banksy

He is the Scarlet Pimpernel ( The Scarlet Pimpernel is the hero of Emma Oritsa's novel of the same name about a British aristocratic spy who operated in France during the Age of Terror - approx. ed.) of contemporary art, who is so adept at covering his tracks that even his agent claims he is not sure who he is. Indeed, identifying the elusive Banksy has proven to be as difficult as predicting where his next work will appear. But now, after an exhaustive year-long investigation during which we spoke to dozens of friends, former colleagues, enemies, neighbors and members of Banksy's family, The Mail On Sunday has come close to unraveling Banksy's identity. The man we think of as Banksy is not a inner-city bully, but, perhaps predictably, a former public school student from a middle-class suburb.

Our search began with a photograph taken in Jamaica of a smiling man in a blue shirt and jeans with a can of spray paint at his feet. The photo was taken four years ago ( in 2004 - approx. ed.), and is believed to depict Banksy at work. When the photograph was published, it was the first crack in the armor of anonymity with which the artist had surrounded himself since his work began to attract the attention of people from the art world. Naturally, Banksy said that it was not him in the photo. By the way, Banksy and everyone around him constantly deny everything.

“Laugh, but someday we will be in power.” © Banksy

© Banksy

Armed with this image, we traveled to Bristol, long known to be the artist's hometown, and met a man who claimed to have met Banksy in person. Of course, many people claim to have met Banksy in person, but when you start asking questions, it turns out that they “know someone who knows Banksy” and the trail is lost. However, this man said that he not only knew the elusive artist, but also revealed his name to us. The story became fascinating because the name was not the usual variation on the "Banks" theme. He claims that the man in the photograph used to be called Robin Gunningham: it doesn't take much imagination to guess how that name gave rise to the pseudonym "Banksy" ( Ben - shortened version of the name Robin - approx. ed.).

We were able to glean something else from publicly available data. Robin's father, Peter Gordon Gunningham (1942), is a pensioner. former manager Contracts Department, lives in the Whitehall area of Bristol. Mother - Pamela Ann Dawkin-Jones (1941) - worked as a secretary and was never outside the Clifton area of Bristol. She now works in a nursing home. The couple married on April 25, 1970 at Kingswood Wesley Methodist Church. On February 8, 1972, their daughter Sarah was born at Bristol Maternity Hospital. By this time Peter had been promoted and the family bought their first home, a semi-detached flat in Bristol.

© Banksy

The house where Robin Gunningham lived as a child

On July 28, 1973, Robin was born in the same maternity hospital. According to neighbors, early age the boy underwent surgery because he was born with a cleft palate. When Robin turned ten, the family moved to a larger house on the same street: it was there that they passed school years Robin and his passion for graffiti began. A neighbor, Anthony Hallett, remembers how the couple, having just gotten married, came to this street and lived on it until 1998. After this they divorced. When we showed Mr. Hallett the photo from Jamaica, he said the man in the photo was Robin Gunningham.

In 1984, at the age of eleven, Robin wore a black jacket, gray trousers and a striped tie and went to the famous Bristol Cathedral School, which now costs £9,240 a year and whose former pupils include model Sophie Anderton. It's hard to imagine Banksy, who always rails against authority, as a public school student wandering through the former 17th-century monastery, with its courtyard, galleries and services in the ancient cathedral. However, when we found a school photo from 1989, it turned out that Robin Gunningham bears a striking resemblance to the man in the Jamaican photo. In addition, people who studied with Robin recall that he was a very gifted artist. Scott Nurse, an insurance agent in Robin's class, said, “He was one of three kids in our class who were incredibly talented in the arts. He drew a lot of illustrations. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he is Banksy. He was also on the rugby team and I think he played hockey.”

Robin Gunningham at school, 1989

Bristol Cathedral and cathedral school

In one of his rare interviews, which Banksy always gives anonymously, the artist admitted that he became interested in graffiti at school. In 1983, the New York hip-hop group Rock Steady Crew visited Europe on tour: they performed at the annual British gala Royal Variety Performance along with graffiti writers. Their performance left an indelible impression on future group Massive Attack and Nick Walker, who is now a well-known artist and designer who created the sets for the films eyes closed» ( Eyes Wide Shut - last film Stanley Kubrick, 1999 - approx. ed.) and "Judge Dredd" ( Judge Dredd - fantastic action movie directed by Danny Cannon, filmed in 1995 - approx. ed.).

They say that Banksy's passion for art ruined his relationship with his family. This is what a former neighbor, Mr. Hallett, said: “Their family was always very pleasant. I'm not sure, but I think Robin was a graffiti artist. He worked for others and did not come home for months. He led a wandering lifestyle. I won't say he went off the rails, but his relationship with his family deteriorated. Most likely, this happened because he did not live up to their expectations. After he left home, he just disappeared."

© Banksy

In 1985, the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol hosted an exhibition called “Graffiti Art in Britain”: during the event, writers painted directly on the walls of the gallery and the hip-hop group The Wild Bunch, which later became famous, performed like Massive Attack. In a 2006 interview with pop culture magazine Swindle, Banksy said: “I come from a small town in the south of England. When I was ten years old, a guy nicknamed was constantly drawing on the street. I think he visited New York and brought back graffiti from there. I grew up seeing graffiti on the streets of Bristol long before I saw graffiti in magazines or on the computer. 3D quit painting and created the band Massive Attack: for him it was probably good, but for the city it was a loss. At school we all loved graffiti. We drew on the bus on the way home. Literally everyone was doing graffiti.”

© Banksy

At the age of sixteen, Robin Gunningham, having passed his final exams and received a certificate, took up street art. On next year As part of Operation Anderson, undercover police officers arrested seventy-two street artists across Britain and charged them with criminal damage. Among those arrested was Tom Bingle, also known as Inkie, a graffiti artist who is considered an associate of Banksy and is now the head of design at Sega, the production company. computer games. Bingle was tried but ultimately acquitted. Robin Gunningham was not arrested. There is no mention of Banksy in the records. The artist himself admitted that he had become an expert in evading meetings with the police.

© Banksy

In his book Wall And Piece, Banksy writes: “When I was eighteen, one night I tried to write in big silver letters on the side of a train: “Late Again.” The transport police showed up, and I tore all my clothes to shreds, escaping through the thorny bushes. My comrades got to the car and drove away, and I spent more than an hour lying under a dump truck, from which oil was pouring on me. While I was lying there and listening to the police, I realized that I needed to cut my drawing time in half or stop. I was looking at the stenciled lettering on the bottom of the fuel tank and realized I could just copy the style and make the letters a meter tall. Eventually I made it home and climbed into bed. I told my girlfriend that I had an epiphany and she told me to stop doing drugs because it was 'bad for the heart.'

Banksy's book Wall And Piece

As the investigation progressed, our inquiries time and time again revealed facts that coincided with what was already known about Banksy. In 1998, Robin Gunningham was living in the Easton area of Bristol with Luke Egan, who was exhibiting his work with Banksy at Santa's Ghetto, an art store that opened in London's West End in 2001. m year, around Christmas. Despite this, when we approached Egan, he initially denied that he rented an apartment with Banksy or Robin Gunningham. However, it was known that he participated in an exhibition with Banksy, and the list of voters said that he lived with Robin Gunningham. As a result, Egan said: "I shared a flat with a guy called Robin Gunningham. But..." - "Are you saying he wasn't Banksy?" - "I wasn't then. I lived with him for a very long time. In any case, I don't think Banksy even existed then."

It is believed Egan and Gunningham moved out of the apartment when the owner decided to sell the house. Camilla Stacey, a curator at Bristol's Here Gallery who bought the house in 2000, claims Banksy and Robin Gunningham are the same person. She knows that Banksy lived in this house because his works remained there, and she received letters addressed to Robin Gunningham. “I bought the house where Banksy used to live,” she says. - He rented a room, but, it seems to me, there were some troubles with other tenants, and the owner decided to sell it. When I moved into the house, everything was covered in graffiti and stuff like that. I threw everything away. At the time, Banksy was just another guy painting on the streets of Bristol. Another graffiti artist in Bristol. Sometimes when I think about it, I can't sleep." Really, who wouldn't regret throwing away works that would most likely be worth tens of thousands today?

Work created at Walls On Fire in Bristol, 1998

In 1998, Banksy and Inky, together with other artists, organized the Walls On Fire project: they painted a 365-meter-long fence in Bristol port. In an unofficial biography of Banksy entitled "Bristol Banksy": home" (Banksy's Bristol: Home Sweet Home), which was written by local writer Steve Wright, quotes Inky: "I helped Banksy organize the event, but then I went into the shadows and got drunk, if I'm not mistaken."

"The Soft, Soft West." © Banksy

In 1999, Banksy painted a work in Bristol, on Stokes Croft Street in Easton, on the wall opposite the Subway Records store, entitled “Soft, Soft West” ( Mild Mild West - obviously played out set phrase Wild Wild West - "wild, wild West" - approx. ed.), which depicts a teddy bear with a Molotov cocktail in his hand. Jim Paine, founder of Subway Records, held the ladder. “I had met Banksy some time before, in the mid-to-late 1990s, when he was renting a room in Easton, a couple of streets away from me,” he says in Wrights' book.

“The whole state is under video surveillance.” © Banksy

“Buy until you drop.” © Banksy

After living in London for some time, Banksy returned to Bristol in February 2000 for his first exhibition. It took place in the Severnshed restaurant, a former boathouse designed by Brunel ( Isambard Kingdom Brunel is a famous British engineer who lived in the 19th century, one of the major figures in the history of the Industrial Revolution - approx. ed.). All works were sold on the opening day of the exhibition. “This was the first time he had ever created work on canvas,” curator Robert Birse told us last week. “He had no idea how to stretch a canvas or prepare a work for an exhibition, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do.” I don't even know his name. He has a set of pseudonyms that he uses with the people he works with, but then he only allowed his old comrades to work. I think I paid him cash [for the works sold at the exhibition]. I could write a blank check or pay cash.”

In the early 2000s, Banksy moved to London - again coinciding with Robin Gunningham's move. Robin lived in east London, in Hackney, on Kingsland Road. He shared a flat with Jamie Eastman, who worked in Bristol record company Hombre. Banksy has painted several covers for albums released by this company.

Cover 1998 © Banksy

Cover 2000 © Banksy

In 2001, Banksy had his first unofficial exhibition in London, during which he spray-painted twelve works on the washed walls of a tunnel on Rivington Street in the Shoreditch area of Hackney (Rivington, Shoreditch). However, the exhibition brought him worldwide fame Turf War (English "war for territory", "struggle for power"), which took place in July 2003 in a warehouse located literally meters from the apartment that Robin Gunningham rented. The exhibition featured live pigs and cows, one of which featured many Andy Warhol heads. The Queen of England was depicted as a monkey. The animal rights activist chained herself to a fence in protest, but the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals allowed the exhibition to go ahead. That same year, Banksy, pretending to be a pensioner, came to the Tate Modern gallery and pasted a painting condemning the war in Iraq on the wall: the image hung for two and a half hours.

Painting by Edouard Manet " A parody of E. Manet’s painting “Luncheon on the Grass.” © Banksy

Robin's mother, Pamela, lives in a neat one-storey house in a village near Bristol. After explaining that we were journalists, we asked if she had a son named Robin. She reacted very strangely. We showed her a photo from Jamaica. It was clear that she was stunned, and she said that she did not recognize the man from the photograph, who, by the way, looked very much like her. We asked if she could help us contact him. She replied: “I'm afraid I don't know how to contact him.” So she does have a son named Robin after all? “No, no. I don’t have a son at all.” We asked if she had children. “Yes, I have a daughter.” But she doesn't have a son who went to Bristol Cathedral School? "No". She began to deny that she was Pamela Gunningham, insisting that there was an error in the electoral rolls.

Works created for the album Think Tank by Blur. © Banksy

"Girl-astronaut and bird"

Speaking to Peter Gunningham, who now lives in the Kingsdown suburb of Bristol, we were also very puzzled. We showed a photo of Banksy/Robin Gunningham. Mr Gunningham said he did not recognize the man in the picture. We said we thought his son was Banksy. He replied: “No. I'm afraid I really can't help you." Mr Gunninghay continued to politely deny that his son was Banksy, although he did not seem very serious. He refused to say anything about Robin. It was all very strange. If they had never heard of Banksy or Robin Gunningham, they would be at a loss. But something was wrong here. We then contacted the person in charge of Banksy's public relations, and he best traditions Banksy neither confirmed nor denied our story and promised to contact us. When the material went to press, we were still waiting for his response.

Banksy once told Swindle magazine: “I have no interest in revealing my identity. I think there are already enough arrogant assholes trying to block you with their ugly faces.” Given that Banksy has been successfully covering his tracks for a very long time, it is of course possible that the trail we were following was false, that it was a well-thought-out deception. But if this is so, then this is the most elaborate scheme of subterfuge that has ever been invented. And if that's the case, then where is Robin Gunningham?

Banksy is an infamous graffiti artist.

Banksy or Banksy is the pseudonym of a graffiti artist and political activist. Until now, his identity has not been established. According to recent speculation, his real name is Robin Banks. Nevertheless, several facts are known about him, also speculative.

Banksy was born in Bristol (England) in 1974. He took up graffiti in the late 90s. He drew large-scale drawings on the walls of houses, which, as you know, is not encouraged by the authorities and the police are playing an eternal game of cat and mouse with them. One day he came up with a great idea - to use stencils for a faster image.

Thanks to his talent artist and, despite the fact that he was engaged in illegal activities, Banksy soon became a very famous person and gained popularity not only in England, but throughout the world as a very bright and extraordinary personality. It's amazing how he managed to hide from the police for so long.

One of his most famous and acclaimed works is drawing two constables kissing. Soon this work was recognized throughout the world. She appeared in the film Children of Men and flew around the world. Banksy also went unnoticed at the Berlinale in 2010, where he presented his film (you can watch it by following the link). Later, in 2011, this film was nominated for an Oscar as Best Documentary feature film. A few more works that he placed on the walls of several largest museums in England and the USA gave rise to a lot of rumors and controversial opinions about the activities of this artist. Some say that Banksy is a real genius of our time, others call him a vandal.

In 2011, an unusual item was put up on eBay - a piece of paper with the real name Banksy. The initial price was $3,000, but eventually increased to $999,999. Unfortunately, no one bought this piece of paper due to the fact that the lot was deleted. The works of the scandalous graffiti artist are constantly sold at auction for 30-600 thousand dollars. One of his paintings was bought by singer Christina Aguilera.

Banksy is a real idol for many artists in this style. Nobody knows any details about him, there are no photographs of him anywhere, only extraordinary drawings on houses that suddenly appear here and there. Most of his works are social in nature, calling for peace and freedom, some evaluate certain events. Thanks to his invulnerability, he is something like a superhero, who is not afraid of anything and can speak with his drawings on any topic and express any thoughts.

All that is known about Banksy is that he was born in Bristol around 1974, and that his name may or may not be Robert Banks. That what he is doing is illegal and, at the very least, falls under the articles of “vandalism” and “hooliganism,” therefore he hides his face and is in no hurry to bask in the glory, and communicates with exhibition curators and journalists exclusively through an agent. At the same time, his works are sold at fabulous prices for a “hooligan”. On the eve of the next auction, at which his graffiti “Girl with a Flower” will be sold (estimate, by the way, is 150 thousand dollars), the editors of the Weekend project have compiled a guide to the most meaningful work Banksy, which can explain why a grown man runs across rooftops at night with a stencil and a can of spray paint.

Pulp Fiction (2002)

This image, which appeared in 2002 near the Old Street tube station in London, repeated the scene from the Quentin Tarantino film with cinematic precision, except for one detail: the heroes of Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta were holding bananas instead of pistols.

In April 2007, Transport for London painted over the graffiti due to the "excessive violence of the scene depicted and the corrupting impact on society." At that time, the estimated value of the work reached 300 thousand pounds. The company's press service explained the employees' actions succinctly: "Our staff consists of professional cleaners, not professional art critics."

The stencil still remains popular: at the end of 2011, an Australian hotel chain announced a promotion: as part of the “Steal Banksy” game, a Banksy work would appear in one of the chain’s hotels, and any guest could take it away, and if the “theft” was not noticed by security , then the “criminal” could keep the illustration for himself. Two works participated in the event: No Ball Games and Pulp Fiction. As a result, the residents managed to remove only the first work, worth 15 thousand dollars, while the owners of the network sent the second to the crime-fighting organization Crime Stoppers Australia, which put it up for auction. In hotels, for a long time after this, there was an announcement that the action was over and it was no longer worth “stealing”.

Kissing Policemen (2004)

Graffiti in London's Brighton near Trafalgar Street became something of a landmark: any tourist considered it his duty to include the wall next to the Prince Albert Pub on his itinerary. But just a year after its creation, the image was transported to New York and sold at auction.

Banksy's work inspired Russian art group"Blue Noses" for the creation of the scandalous photograph "Era of Mercy" (2004). Three years later, Russian Minister of Culture Alexander Sokolov named the exhibition Tretyakov Gallery in Paris (2007), where it was planned to present this work, and then completely accused the Tretyakov directorate of deliberate provocation. Sokolov promised to do everything to ensure that the photograph did not end up at the review. The photograph did not participate in the exhibition “Sots Art. Political Art in Russia”, but it was included in the FIAC international art fair, which took place in Paris at the same time.

£10 with Princess Diana (2004)

In 2004, Banksy produced a batch of 10-pound notes, where the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was replaced by a portrait of the deceased Lady Di, and the inscription "Bank of England" was corrected to "Banksy of England". It’s difficult to say whether the joke was a success: several banknotes were handed out at the Notting Hill Carnival festival, the bills began to diverge, and almost no one noticed the difference until the artist himself realized that he had unwittingly become a counterfeiter:

"I printed a million pounds and wanted to just throw it off the roof, but I gave some away at a festival and they went and spent it. You know, 'I'll have two beers,' they gave them a beer. Nobody noticed! And when it happened, we we realized: we forged a million! And for this you can get punished for ten years. And now I have them lying around and I don’t know what to do with them,” he tells his friend in the documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”

In October 2007, an uncut sheet of ten such notes was auctioned at Bonhams for 24 thousand pounds.

Napalm (2004)

The graffiti depicts symbols American culture Ronald McDonald and Mickey Mouse holding hands with a crying naked girl. Her image is taken from the photo "Napalm", which was taken on June 8, 1972 by Associated Press photographer and Pulitzer Prize winner Nick Ut during the Vietnam War. A 9-year-old girl flees her home in the Tran Ban district with her brother and other children after a heavy bombing. Children run along the road leading from Saigon towards the border with Cambodia, where there was also a fire going on at that time. Civil War and the territories were constantly under attack by the US Air Force.

There is no need to comment on this work by Banksy. By coincidence, it is this particular print - flagellating the consumer society - that is most popular in America, and is replicated on T-shirts, mugs and other souvenirs.

Graffiti in Palestine (2005)

In the summer of 2005, Banksy traveled to Palestine. Contrary to UN protests, a multi-meter concrete barrier between Palestine and Israel was erected on the West Bank of the Jordan River. The artist used the wall as a 425-mile-long canvas to express his reaction to the events of the time. Every morning on his website he published another drawing from the wall with a caustic caption: “Holiday snapshot.” The characters in the graffiti most often became children, as the main victims of the military conflict, and the wall was necessarily destroyed in the plot of the illustration.

Banksy later explained the message on his website:

"The Israeli government is building a wall around the occupied Palestinian territories. It is three times the height of the Berlin Wall, and the length ultimately reaches 700 km - the distance from London to Zurich. The wall violates international law and, in essence, turns Palestine into the largest There's an open prison in the world."

Crumpled Phone Booth (2006)

The sculpture stood in London's Soho for only one night - and during that night it managed to cause a heated discussion. The townspeople were divided into two camps: the first saw a high modern Art, the second is a mockery of the main symbol of London. The British Telecommunications company regarded the work as a reaction to the message about rebranding and intention to abandon classic look pay phones.

"Someone is really annoyed by our phone booths!" - comments a passing lady in the documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop".

There is a version that this is a kind of mourning by the artist for the passing culture of live communication in the era of the development of the Internet and social networks.

Naked Man Hanging from Window (2006)

The graffiti was painted on the wall of a sexually transmitted disease clinic on Park Street in the center of Bristol. The plot of the illustration is eternal: a completely naked lover hangs from the windowsill and looks out of the window in the other direction. jealous husband, behind him is his wife in underwear. And as soon as the man in the suit turns his head in the other direction, the couple will be caught in an awkward situation.

The city council decided to preserve the drawing and even paid for its restoration after vandals shot it with a paintball gun. Since then, the authorities have begun to treat graffiti as art (albeit still prohibited), and it is considered vandalism to paint over the works of street artists. But even despite this, Banksy still remains incognito - he has broken the law too many times.

Guantanamo Bay Prisoner at American Disneyland (2006)

On the eve of the next anniversary of September 11, when Banksy was preparing for an exhibition in Los Angeles, he came up with the idea of making an installation on the theme of suspected terrorists sitting in Guantanamo Bay. At Disneyland, he installed a mannequin dressed in a prisoner's uniform next to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. The doll stood there for an hour and a half until it was noticed. The management stopped the attraction and began to close the park piece by piece, “suddenly it turned out that this was very, very serious.” The artist's goal was to draw attention to the situation of prisoners at the American Guantanamo Bay base after cases of torture of prisoners became known.

Naturally, it is technically impossible for Banksy to act alone; there is, albeit a very narrow circle of people who know him and whom he can trust unconditionally. That day at Disneyland added one more to the list: Frenchman Thierry Guetta. The future Mr Brainwash, who recorded the entire process on camera, was detained next to Banksy’s installation and subjected to a four-hour interrogation.

"When Thierry stood up to all of Mickey Mouse's security, didn't flinch, didn't give up, he hid the tape in his sock - after that I trusted him with everything. He was my man."

Film "Exit through the Gift Shop" (2010)

Initially, the film was not shot by Banksy at all, but by the same Thierry Guetta. He was obsessed with videography and constantly said that he was making documentaries about street art. He was the first (and probably the last) person with a camera whom Banksy let into the work process:

“Thierry became something of an outlet for me: I hid everything for so many years that it was time to trust someone.”

The film never really came to fruition; Banksy did the editing himself, and instead of a film about a guerrilla artist from Bristol, a story about how Mr. Brainwash was born was released. In fact, Mizgoprav is also a kind of brainchild of Banksy, because it was Banksy who encouraged Thierry Guetta to engage in art, showed how to work with stencils, and gave a recommendation to his first exhibition.

Hi all! It’s so nice to know that so many people, visiting the “On the Edge” blog, expand their horizons by studying different aspects of life. Today's topic is art. There is such a variety of trends in the world: music, painting, sculpture, street art, body art and others.

Everyone can find something they like. Personally, I am inspired by artists. These are incredible people with their own vision of the world, many do not want to understand them, especially those who depict the negative sides of life, the cruel reality, preferring to live in a world of illusions.

Whether it is worth condemning such people is difficult to answer. After all, if we look at life only through the prism of pessimism, then we will not be able to consider the good side. By seeing only the optimistic side, we will not be able to truly appreciate the moments of happiness that occur, taking them for granted.

Banksy is a mysterious artist

Live in balance, then you will be able to enjoy life. The artist I would like to talk about is famous for his mystery and special view of the world. Banksy's work, photos of which you can see here, will make you think about a lot.

Any artist puts into his work what he wants to convey to the viewer. You don't have to be a great art connoisseur to understand the importance of Banksy's paintings.

Each of the paintings is conceived with a certain subtext. Most people don’t even suspect that the “ordinary” pictures on the wall of an inconspicuous building, painted with a spray can, are the work of a famous master.

Famous works of Banksy and their brief description

For 20 years now, the artist has been delighting his fans with the appearance of his works in the most unexpected places. Banksy has taken street graffiti art to a new level. Most of his works are aimed at social issues, showing problems that we do not want to notice. Even the names speak for themselves.

Painting “Migrants are not welcome here”

Isn't this some kind of indicator of an absentee judgment about strangers who were forced to leave their homes. People sometimes forget about humanity in favor of their bias. Until it touches us, we will not understand what it is like. This is what Banksy wants to convey to us.

Or his painting of Steve Jobs, the head of Apple, who was a Syrian migrant.

"No future"

Also a symbolic vision of human life. We are consumed by the idea that every action or deed must have a meaning. People stopped thinking spiritually, looking for profit in everything.

Or is it the message “When will the wars end?”

Where people with machine guns surrounded a tired elephant. Many will take the search for light philosophically. They say that human nature is a constant struggle for territory, minerals and other benefits. But, in essence, war is ruinous and now it is much more profitable to come to an agreement than to waste resources on a meaningless, even unprofitable activity.

"London Maid"

A kind of caricature of Europe’s attitude towards the rest of the world. There is no concept of conscience, because if you take care of everyone in need, then you yourself will remain a loser. The painting lasted about a week until the authorities, considering it provocative, painted over the wall.

"Please love me"

And although love is considered a sublime feeling, the artist wants to show with this painting the practical side of feeling. Pointing out that appearance is not important, the main thing is the commonality of views on things. Then the chance of maintaining the duration of love is much higher in comparison with falling in love after the first meeting.

“Differences of views, different people on the same things”

We are all different and sometimes these differences lead to conflict. So the picture depicts two people from different backgrounds. One stands for love, the other is symbolically against, condoning violence. Obviously, aggression always wins.

Painting “No More Heroes”

Men in last years They are so used to solving their problems at the expense of others. Waiting to be rescued by heroes, or even trying on this mask. What the result will be after is not important to us. It creates the illusion that any loser can become a hero, but this is not true. With such thoughts, humanity expects collapse.

It would take a long time to describe Banksy's paintings. It is important to understand that this artist's vision brings with it an outside perspective that is necessary for each of us to stop and think for a moment. Perhaps then this world can be saved.

Art for everyone

Banksy creates his masterpieces for the soul. One of his paintings written on front door youth club in Bristol "Mobile Lovers", is of a charitable nature. She gained incredible popularity, which saved the club from closure.

Another of Banksy’s most famous paintings is Slave Labor, painted specifically for the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The sale of the painting brought the artist more than 750,000 euros.

And Banksy’s famous documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” It was even nominated for an Academy Award in 2011 for Best Documentary Feature.

A recent achievement, an amusement park organized by Banksy, but with a certain ironic accent. A kind of reverse side of the famous Disneyland.

Many celebrities get tattoos famous paintings Banksy, paying tribute to the artist who, despite criticism, defends his point of view of the world.

The main intrigue of Banksy’s personality is the incognito that he has maintained for so many years. Although, while painting the wall of one of the pubs in London, Banksy's face appeared on a video camera. And British scientists claim in all seriousness that they have declassified the identity of the artist; judging by their calculations, he turned out to be Robin Henningham.

There was no confirmation from the artist himself. So it remains for the audience and fans of the street artist’s talent to judge whether this is true or not.

The street gives birth to great artists

Creating your famous movie Banksy has worked with many talented and famous artists street art. One of them was Space Invader, his name is associated with the game of the late 70s, space invader.

The Invader became famous for drawing pixel mosaics, but not just depicting them chaotically, but thoughtfully choosing his plot and places for it. Such an unusual invasion plan.

But the undisputed classic of pop art is Andy Warhol, whose works served as inspiration for many aspiring artists.

He was one of the first to use screen printing. Now this trick makes life much easier for street artists by helping them save time. Indeed, in many countries, street art is an illegal act of vandalism, for example in England.

Russian street art artist Pavel 183 gave us his creativity until he left. He gained fame after the English media compared his talent to the famous Bansky. From that time on, Pasha 183’s friends began to call him Banksy, the English Pasha.

The French mural painter Thierry Guetta is also famous for his talent. collaborations with Banksy, in a documentary where he was given the main role, added even more popularity. An emigrant who moved to the City of Angels and opened his own business, he did not think then that he would be captivated by the art of street art.

Although his style is different from Banksy, he uses ready-made photo images, bringing something new to them, putting his own stamp on them.

Text— Agent Q.

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Probably the most popular and at the same time the most mysterious street artist in the world. He became famous throughout the world for his unique "guerrilla" style of stencil graffiti, which appeared in a wide variety of public places - on the walls of buildings in London, Brighton, Bristol and even on the West Bank barrier separating Israel and Palestine. But despite his worldwide fame, Banksy was still able to maintain a veil of secrecy and anonymity around himself. There is a lot of controversy surrounding his biography and real name. According to the most common versions, his real name is Robert or Robin Banks.

Despite the fact that Banksy’s outrageous work can most likely be attributed to the “counterculture” genre, his works are exhibited in the most fashionable and prestigious galleries in the world. Collectors of his work include many celebrities, including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera. It is very difficult to find any information about this person, so the captions for some photos may not be entirely “from the author.”

(Total 35 photos)

1. Banksy truck. (Banksy)

2. "Picnic"

At the exhibition of this graffiti artist, which took place in Los Angeles in 2006, Angelina Jolie bought three works by the artist for 400 thousand dollars. Among Jolie's acquisitions was the painting "Picnic" shown in this photo, worth $226,000. (Banksy)

3. "Laugh, but one day we'll be in charge" (Banksy)

4. "Bad artists imitate, but great artists steal" (Banksy)

5. "Escape" (Banksy)

6. "Maid" (Banksy)

7. "Helicopters with pink bows" (Banksy)

8. "Flower Thrower" (Banksy)

9. "Attack of the Carts" (Banksy)

10. "Moisturize"

Caption: "I learned a valuable lesson from this woman: you need to moisturize your skin every day." (Banksy)

11. "A man removing graffiti from a wall."

This drawing appeared in May 2008 on Lick Street in London. By August 2008, this graffiti had been painted over. Please note - the images of animals resemble cave drawings primitive people in the Lascaux cave in France or in Altamira, Spain. (Banksy)

12. "Naked"

This drawing is located on the facade of the Bristol clinic on Park Street, where patients are treated for sexual disorders. After numerous petitions from the public, Bristol City Council decided not to paint over the graffiti. (Banksy)

13. "Death"

Stencils on the waterline of the pleasure boat Tekla in the center of Bristol. The image of death is based on a famous 19th century engraving depicting the plague during the Great Stench. (Banksy)

14. "One nation under CCTV" or " Big Brother watching you"

Graffiti in the heart of London. A group of people have been flooding the Royal Mail with letters for a long time, asking that one of the walls needs to be rebuilt. After repeated requests, it was decided to install scaffolding to find out what the problem was there. Six days later, when the scaffolding was removed, this graffiti was on the façade. Visible from afar, the graffiti attracted the attention of many people who had no idea that it was the work of Banksy. In March 2009, local authorities ordered it to be covered over, despite desperate public protests. CCTV is a surveillance camera, and the phrase “One nation under...” is a reference to famous phrase“One nation under God” - “One nation under God” - a fragment of the oath of allegiance to the American flag.. (Banksy/ogglog)

15. "Living in Dreams" (Banksy)

16. "Square Head" (Banksy)

17. Another one of Banksy’s works on the city streets. (Banksy)

18. "Charlie the Arsonist." Graffiti was painted on a building that was on fire. (Banksy)

19. "Donut Escort" (Banksy)

20. "Double Solid" or "Flower Power"

The yellow line of street markings turns into a huge flower on one of the facades of London houses. Next to it is a self-portrait of the artist. (Banksy)

21. "Walking the Dog" (Banksy)

22. The inscription on the tank: “It seems like an elephant” (Banksy)

23. “0% interested in people” (Banksy)

24. "Behind the wall!

The Wall project included a virtual reality experience that emphasized the denial of humanity that the fence represents - children cut off from the sea and forced to play with buckets and shovels on a pile of stones, while behind the wall... (Banksy)

25. I hate Mondays. (Banksy)

26. Without wasting time