Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Heroes To Humanity: #208 - Banksy

After watching the very excellent "Exit Through The Gift Shop" I instantly went and dusted off my copy of "Wall and Piece", which is a book displaying the art and thoughts of the living legend that is Banksy.

Now, I know that now, in 2011, it is extremely trendy to be a fan of this chap. I can even hear people (as in, wankers) at art shows saying things like "Yah, you know what I love the most about his work though Tarquin? It's the subversive, anti-establishment rhetoric he consistently slaps us in the chops with"......gag! However, I am proud to say that I have been on the bandwagon since I had the pleasure of seeing one of his works in London several years ago. It was a stencil of two policemen in a romantic clinch. My only thought in passing was "that is genius" and on I went. Then I found this book and lo and behold, there it was, the same picture.

Now, while I am a sucker for the elusive, fuck capitalism element to his work, I think it's easy to lose just what a great artist the man is. Everything he does is not only cutting edge and indeed edgy, but it's bloody good. Thus meeting my first criteria for modern art - could I do that myself? If the answer is no, it's passes round one.

Just have a look at his catalogue: Banksy - Outdoor Collection

So here's to Banksy, a scoundrel who openly laughs in all of our fat, ignorant faces and makes boatloads of cash doing it.

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