Banksy

love it

This is an essay on the graffiti artist Banksy. 1 page about his life and work. 1 page about a particular piece of his work(Cave Painting).

Got a 10 out of 10 on it. can prob be used for a bunch of classes.



Banksy is a world renowned graffiti artist and political activist. He has done his work on bridges, walls, and streets around the world. He is most famously known for the political and current socially related undertones of his work. His main way of creating his works are through a distinct stenciling technique. This results in him being able to incorporate pictures into his graffiti, as opposed to the traditional way of just using words. He makes little to no profit off of his works, but his public pieces have sold for large amounts of money. He does however sell to private collectors on occasion. His clientele includes such stars a Christina Aguilera and Kate Moss. Bansky assumed the pseudonym in attempt to protect his identity. This is necessary due to the questionable legality of how and where he chooses to display his work. He has been known to go to art exhibits and hang his own work to see how long it goes unnoticed. Banksy has also been known to switch famous works with his own, adding small details, but using the same general picture. These, like his street artwork, often have a political significance. He has held several gallery exhibits which have been amazing successes. He is never present at his exhibits though, once the location is known, in order to avoid arrest. Banksy considers himself an artist and does not condone vandalism. I would have to agree with him due to the fact that his work is always creative and artistic, and also has a message to it. These three things are what separate him from a senseless vandal. He was born and lives in England, and has been doing his art for 19 years.

the "Cave Painting"


The piece of work I have chosen by Banksy is entitled “Cave Painting.” It is an oil on canvas painting, that was done by the artist in 2004. The painting depicts a man in a uniform that appears to be a of a city maintenance worker. He is using a power washer to rid a wall of what looks like ancient cave paintings.
I think there can be several interpretations of this painting, but given the history of the artist, I believe two are extremely prevalent. In cities where graffiti is rampant, it is often quickly power washed off the walls and a potentially beautiful work of art is forgotten. I think he is trying to stress this point, as well as show that the first art of our prehistoric ancestors was drawn on walls. These ancient cave paintings give us a look at an unknown past and provide important information as to life during these times. I feel that he is trying to say that actual works of modern art, that just happen to be graffiti, are also important artifacts of our culture.
The second message I believe Banksy is trying to portray through this work is one of technical definition. He is reminding people that these ancient paintings, in today’s society, are cherished and looked upon in awe. He is frustrated that his work is considered vandalism, when in reality; they are no different than the ancient cave paintings of the past. The original cave paintings were of animals and things relevant to the time they were painted. Much the same are Banksys works, which usually portray a political message relative to current events. He feels that since these prehistoric cave paintings were done in the same mindset as his works; that it is not fair for one to be considered wondrous, awe inspiring art and the latter to be considered vandalism. I agree with the artist, due to the amount of thought and the underlying messages often associated with his works. He is very talented and I believe he feels art should have no boundaries. This, coupled with his undeniable artistic ability, make Banksy stand out in my mind as one of the great artists of our time.