Banksy?

"People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish. But that's only if it's done properly."

I have recently discovered the origin of many images I have admired for the last few years. I have been interested & I have held in high regard, an artist that I know little about. In a world where the face of a politician, actor or artist is generally as widely recognized as their influence & work, Banksy has struggled for years to maintain the mystery of his identity. He has created work, around the world, with messages ranging from subversive to downright silly, but little is known for sure about his background. Much has been speculated & many have claimed to have figured out who he really is. Banksy is a pseudo-anonymous British graffiti artist. He is believed to be a native of Bristol & to have been born in 1974, but there is substantial public uncertainty about his identity & personal & biographical details.

Banksy’s works aren’t limited to paint & pencil drawings. He has been responsible for a number of social commentaries such as replacing hundreds of Paris Hilton's CDs with CDs of his own creation. He has sneaked his own work into several art museums, including a prehistoric looking piece at the British Museum which the museum decided to add to their own permanent collection.

Who is Banksy? We may not know his real name, but his art is unmistakably the work of a passionate person. His paintings, stencils, & other art pieces frequently address serious social issues. He takes on capitalism, war, poverty, racism, homophobia, & governments with humor & grace.There is good reason for leaving us guessing about Banksy. His work has been equated with vandalism on several occasions, & many have called for his prosecution. His choice of subject matter coupled with his medium (typically spray paint on public walls) upset people no matter where he is (or who he is).