Banksy – Street Art
Full name: Unknown (pseudonym Banksy)
Place of birth: Bristol, United Kingdom
Artistic movement: Street Art, Activist Art, Urban Art, Post-Graffiti
Artistic career
Banksy emerged in the 1990s on the Bristol scene, blending graffiti and stencil art. His work is anonymous, which fuels the myth and enigma surrounding his identity.
His style combines humor, satire, and social, political, and cultural critique. He denounces inequality, consumerism, war, and power through artworks displayed in public spaces, often ephemeral. Banksy also uses media, auctions, and the internet to blur the line between street art and institutional art.
Major works
Girl with Balloon (2002): A symbol of hope and fragility, now a global icon.
Love is in the Air (2003): Activism and visual poetry featuring a protester throwing a bouquet of flowers.
Mobile Lovers (2014): A critique of smartphone addiction and social isolation.
Quote
"Art should not be locked in museums, it should be in the street."
"When you go to an art gallery you are simply a tourist looking at the trophy cabinet of a few millionaires."
