Everybody knows the artist’s name, naturally, but nobody knows who Banksy is.
In 2017, one of Banksy’s most popular artworks, Girl with Balloon, was voted Britain’s work of art. This discovery turned the art world upside down, and the activist’s masked identity propelled the street artist into becoming an international icon. The artist’s unrevealed identity shrouds them in a cloud of mystery that continues to fascinate the world.
Banksy art has evolved from graffiti on street walls, to paintings on canvas, conceptual sculptures and even film. The provocative, Academy Award-nominated Banksy documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, gave us an exclusive look into the mind of the artist and what constitutes art.
There is no denying that Banksy has many talents and creates art that often shocks or divides the art world. Many artists to this day continue to be inspired by Banksy, their style of creating art and the often political undertones of the work. An artist, painter, activist, graffiti master — he/she still has us wondering, who is Banksy?
The Banksy effect
In the artist’s early work, it’s easy to see they were heavily influenced by French graffiti artist, Blek le Rat. The use of stencils can be seen in both of the artists’ works, but also in the art’s political messages. Banksy’s preference for stencils is a clever time-saving technique, allowing the artist to respond and work quickly. Stencils also have a political edge and a history of being used to start revolutions and stop wars, which complements Banksy’s work well.
Artfinder artists embrace Banksy
Several contemporary artists are inspired by Banksy. David C Watkins’s digital artwork, for example, follows this style so much so that the artist has to specify it is not a work by Banksy in the title.
Likewise, Banksy’s influence can be clearly seen in many of Juan Sly’s artworks. Often spray-painted, Juan’s works are just as controversial, focusing on everything from humour to anti-war, and sex to the surreal. He has even exhibited alongside Banksy at the Saatchi. Juan is also fond of stencils as, like Banksy, it allows him to work quickly, which is a necessity when an artist is responding to particular events or ideas happening in the world right now.
Another artist inspired by Banksy, Karibou, creates work with clear, anti-violence political undertones. It’s meant to instill a feeling that there is always hope, and is painted very much in the same manner as Banksy’s work.
Banksy’s £10 “Di-faced” note, which features a picture of Princess Diana replacing the Queen on the note, also inspired artist Vincent da Vinci to create a similar note as part of his “Retro Celebrity Stars” series.
Banksy’s influence in the art and creative world is evident. After the artist shredded one of their most popular artworks, Girl with Balloon, which sold for US $1.3 million, several creatives did their own takes of this art-world first — even including a spinoff ad for McDonalds, created by DDB Austria. The ad shows the fast food chain’s logo being shredded into French fries.
The many faces of Banksy
Over the years, the world has tried to unmask Banksy, as the artist’s concealed identity has become a fascination that has gripped almost everyone. So far, it continues to remain a mystery. The artist even uses a third-party body, Pest Control, to deliver certifications of authenticity. There are several theories speculating who the artist could be.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London succumbed to using geographic profiling to “capture” the artist, a technique usually reserved for catching serial criminals. They suspected Robin Gunningham to be the artist, but this has never been confirmed nor denied.
The majority of theories describe Banksy as a man in his 20s, who is passionate about human rights and political causes. Many of the “sightings” of the artist, however, seem to have been debunked, leading art lovers and the world to contemplate whether Banksy is indeed a group of people, or even a woman. Banksy art often features female figures, and some argue that these sightings of men believed to be the artist could simply be misdirection, planted by the artist herself.
It’s hard to decide whether Banksy’s mystery is part of why the artist is so successful, and if this is intentional, or whether the activist wants us to focus solely on the artworks, rather than the person behind them. A hidden identity also helps keep the activist safe, as the quirky and political artworks can often be confrontational, rebellious and known for delivering anti-establishment messages. Some even argue that this art is in actuality, vandalism. So, it’s clear why the artist might prefer to live in secrecy.
More than a name
Banksy art transcends far beyond an identity. It’s a movement where the public is urged to question and confront the notion of art and politics.
“This is the first time the essentially bourgeois world of art has belonged to the people,” a concealed Banksy stated in his documentary.
With Banksy art, it’s enough to simply know and understand the reference, message or joke. We may very well never truly find out who Banksy is but that is not what matters, because unveiling the artist will not change how we feel about the artwork. So, for now, we need only appreciate the cleverness of Banksy’s art and perhaps save the artist from paying for (no doubt) many vandalism offences.
Discover more Banksy-inspired art
Cover image via Gerard Boersma
