Banksy
Banksy, like Swoon, is a mono-monikered pseudonymous artist. Also like Swoon, Banksy does so-called “street art”. Fabwick is fascinated by art-not-asked-for. In this world, Banksy is king—at least high royalty. Banksy has taken his work one step beyond many of his contemporaries. He has made a documentary film about himself, his work, and his fellow artists.
This begs the question, is it possible for an artist who hides his identity to make a film about himself without his actually appearing? “Exit Through The Gift Shop”, might answer those questions. Banksy made himself known (in the way he does) in Park City, Utah during the Sundance Film Festival, by showing his work on storefronts and walls. He called a tantalizing news conference at the International Film Festival in Berlin, only to play a videotape in which he appeared cloaked and hidden. Was the image in the video Banksy? Did he create the video?
The questions that arise about his identity are similar to those we must answer when we interact on the internet. Does identity reside in the corporeal being, or in the substance that being creates? Banksy and Adams (profiled earlier on Fabwick), raise these questions.
When it comes to the work, there are more answers than questions. The work, under any heading, is beautiful. It is up to the receiver of the art to live with the contradiction of such beauty being displayed in gritty urban environs. It is also up to the receiver to accept and enjoy the art without knowing (visually) who created it.
http://art.sibirinfo.ru/podrobnosti/data/upimages/090913ava.jpg
Era of Mercy by Blue Noses
Sots-Art Political art from Russia. Paris, October 19, 2007
The subject is not original. In 2007 the Kissing Militiamen made a scandal Director of Tretyakovka and Minister of Culture of Russia were fighting over it.
Before the opening of the exposition Vladimir Sokolov had denounced it as “pornography” and “shame for Russia”. The minister was most of all disgusted by the works of Sinie Nosy art-group, in particular by their photo “Kissing Militiamen” from the series “Era of Mercy”. In the end certain pictures did not get to the exposition and remained in Russia.
Current London exhibit of Soviet Non-Conformist Art
http://www.haunchofvenison.com/en/gallery.php?item_id=714&src=/media/10738/hv17121.jpg&page=london.current.glasnost&force=html
Thank you for the info… There’s a different approach here – we simply picked one piece from the artist – not to focus on originality or that piece, but to feature the film ‘Exit Through The Giftshop’ that was just shown in LA and NY – and will have a showing in Seattle on April 23rd. Love your comment though! Best, Anna Rósa
hi wat is your myspace site?
Hi, we’re not on Myspace – but we’re on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabwickcom/108344087013
wow nice stuff bro.
lol cool stuff man.