The known unknown: Exhibition on Banksy
Banksy is one of the best-known unknowns. The spray-painted works of the British artist, who works under a pseudonym, have been found for decades, usually without warning, on walls in countless international locations. The authenticity of the graffiti works, which are often created using stencils, is acknowledged, for example, by a posting on a Banksy page on the Internet.
The wall pieces or spray-painted objects usually associated with the artist cannot simply be exhibited. That is why the numerous exhibitions of Banksy's work often show photos of his most famous works, sometimes produced to a high standard and linked to better-known names. There are also screen prints, spray works on canvas or cardboard and other originals by Banksy that end up in private collections or museums.
Banksy takes a very critical view of trade in his art. A version of his famous work "Girl with Balloon" self-destructed after an auction in 2018. The subsequent auction of the shredded artwork fetched almost 22 million euros, a multiple of the original auction price.
From this Friday, an exhibition of the artist's works, of which almost 20 are originals, will be on display in Berlin, explicitly marked as "non-authorized". The Banksy website states the following about such projects: "Banksy is not involved in or associated with any (exhibition)." Banksy is also concerned about the use of his motifs. Although he himself refers to his quote "Copyright is for losers", he only wants his motifs to be used privately and not commercially.
After stops in Madrid, Malaga, Moscow, Hong Kong, Milan, Lisbon, Las Vegas, Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya, the exhibition "Bansky - A Vandal Turned Idol" is now making a stop in Berlin on the first floor of a functional building.
The exhibition organizers have improvised where there are no established facts. One installation shows a studio of an unidentifiable sprayer in a dark hoodie, as Banksy might have done. Some photos or videos from surveillance cameras show a male person working on graffiti that was later attributed to Banksy.
Thematically, the exhibition follows important themes of the artist. With a total of around 100 works, chapters are dedicated to the examination of consumption, death and the environment, as well as Banksy's views on power and religion, love and hope.
Banksy has his price, and not only on the international art market. A ticket to the exhibition costs up to 24 euros.
The upcoming Berlin exhibition features over 18 original works by Banksy, despite his non-involvement and disapproval of commercial use of his motifs. This exhibit, titled "Banksy - A Vandal Turned Idol," has previously traveled to various cities, including Madrid, Moscow, and New York.
The street art scene is represented in the exhibition through installations like a dark-hooded sprayer's studio, hinting at Banksy's anonymous artistic process, and surveillance footage of a male artist working on graffiti later linked to Banksy.
Source: www.dpa.com
