Banksy has been back in the news lately with some new artwork popping up in and around Bristol and with it clues to the possible identity of the mysterious street artist. Or hell, maybe it’s all part of the plan.
The first piece appeared a few days ago and featuring some commentary on modern surveillance with some 1950s flair, but the second is the one causing all the ruckus at the moment. The piece titled “Mobile Lovers” appeared on the side of a youth center on Monday and has since vanished following the revelation of Banksy’s involvement. This isn’t sitting too well with some folks. From The Mirror:
Mr Stinchcombe took the decision to remove the piece, using a crowbar, on Tuesday afternoon, when he heard its authenticity had been confirmed.
Visitors were confronted with an empty doorway and told to return to the youth club, where they could view the work – with donations optional.
“I’ve had death threats today,” Mr Stinchcombe said. “I said to them ‘if you want to threaten me come down to the club and do it in the boxing ring’. I had to make a decision as to whether to allow it to stay there and come in today to find it gone or damaged, or take it yesterday and think what can we do with this to make it a bit of a reality and be good for the community.”
Well that’s just pleasant. It’d be hilarious if people weren’t threatening bodily harm, but of course it’s been the same joke from Banksy for years now. It doesn’t get old for me, but it has to get old for someone out there.
Aside from Mr. Stinchcombe and his youth center, the piece may also mark the first time the artist has been captured on camera in the act of creating a work. From The Daily Mail:
CCTV may have captured the elusive artist Banksy as he was installing his latest creation in Bristol.
Cameras – ironically set up to deter graffiti artists – filmed two people dressed as workmen unloading kit from the back of a white van in the early hours of Sunday morning.
I always thought that Exit Through The Gift Shop already captured Banksy in the flesh and I don’t mean that as a critique on whether the documentary was an elaborate hoax or not. But I could’ve swore you saw his madness at work in the movie alongside the other street artists.
The CCTV footage is highly underwhelming, as most CCTV footage tends to be, but it does mark a “first” in the eyes of the public and that’s probably worth talking about somewhat. Banksy is still an interesting character to a lot of people, including an idiot like me who actually paid money for his art book.
I kinda hope we never get a true revelation of his identity because I’d always rather have the work speak for him. Leave it up to interpretation and let it all just happen. It’d be a nice change of pace for today’s fast paced information world.
Apply all these words to Hanksy too, unless he wants to reveal himself via a televised special that reveals the tricks of all the major street artists out there. And then he can tear off his mask and show that he’s really Rip Taylor or something.
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(Via Daily Mail / Mirror / Banksy)