When in Paris, don’t miss…
When it comes to street art you can’t ignore Banksy, the not only now famous – yet most secretive – graffiti artist but undoubtedly the undisputed king of street art. The artist rose to prominence in the late 90s for his striking stencil art and profound imagery, carrying on the wave of street art that had taken Bristol by storm in the 80s. He touches us with the acerbic geopolitical messages he conveys through his poetic or sometimes ironic works, raising the issue of homelessness, pollution, war, discrimination, consumerism… Everybody knows now Banky’s most popular and first ever self-destructing work of art “Girl With Balloon” which, after passing through a shredder, was sold for £1.04 million at Sotheby’s in London. While displaying art in big cities across the world, Banksy puts social and political issues in our face and calling them to mind as they are often intended as social critiques of politics and culture. If you want to have a glimpse of both the absurdity of the world and Banksy’s brilliant works, no doubt this exhibition (“The World of Banksy”) will capture your interest as it offers a comprehensive retrospective.
When in the UK, the show goes on…
If you have missed the exhibition in Paris, I’m sure you can make up for it with other exhibitions across the globe, e.g. “The Art of Banksy” which is even more worthwhile as it features almost 100 authenticated pieces. These works of art, gathered from private collections, have been on display across the planet, from Melbourne & Tel Aviv to Toronto & Chicago, Miami, and have been seen by over one million visitors. You should be overwhelmed by a wide choice in the UK too as other events are scheduled in the UK and Ireland (Manchester, Dublin, Glasgow, Birmingham and Dublin)
By Cyriaque Griffon