The World of Banksy

...the immersive experience (temporary exhibition in the Mall of the Emirates

Banksy is a street artist (born in UK), political activist and film director since the 1990s. No one knows exactly who Banksy is, but his artworks are known worldwide (he works under a pseudonym). The political and humorous nature of his artworks in particular has generated a lot of media publicity. And we haven't talked about his stunts yet. His street work can mainly be found in Europe, but graffiti works have also been spotted in the Palestinian areas and the United States. His work mainly includes satirical street art/graffiti and subversive epigrams executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. 

Underground scene

Banksy's work grew out of the Bristol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy says that he was inspired by 3D, a graffiti artist and  the Bristol music group Massive Attack.

Girl with balloon

At first you see the charming painting of a little girl reaching for her lost heart-shaped balloon. The heart refers to love, hope, innocence, youth and confidence. It is not clear whether the artwork is intended to demonstrate the loss of hope or whether the desire for it is within reach. Speaking about a stunt: in October 2018, this painting was shredded at the London auction house immediately after the auction. Banksy had hidden a paper shredder in the list. This has gone down in the books as the first work of art created live at an auction.

The London Maid (2007)

Banksy describes this piece of art as: "In the bad old days, it was only popes and princes who had the money to pay for their portraits to be painted. This is a portrait of a maid called Leanne who cleaned my room in a Los Angeles motel. She was quite a feisty lady." The work later appeared in 2007 on a wall adjacent to the White Cube Gallery in London. The rendition was mysteriously painted over after standing for a month.

Catchy and humorous

Banksy's work is characterized by its catchy and humorous images, in combination with slogans. The message is usually pacifist, anti-capitalist, against the establishment and for freedom. He mainly paints animals (such as monkeys and rats) and people (including police officers, soldiers, the elderly, children).

Modified art

A recurring theme in his work is further adapting existing art, which radically changes the nature of the piece. See below the four paintings. 

The Walled Off Hotel

In 2017, marking the 100th anniversary of the British control of Palestine, Banksy financed the creation of the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem. This hotel is open to the public and contains rooms designed by Banksy and others and each of the bedrooms face the wall.