From Vandal to Artist: Banksy

Abstract

For ages writing on the walls –graffiti– has been interpreted as a form of vandalism and even iconoclasm, but modern graffiti, as it emerged in the late 1960s in Philadelphia, has come to be considered an art form. Several years after the ´60s, mainly in the peripheral districts of New York, emerging hip hop culture combined with graffiti and resulted in original street art, which spread worldwide, and configured an urban practice well known in Europe by the 1990s. Under the moniker “Banksy”, this anonymous British artist has revolutionized the way street art is interpreted, as not only artistic practice but also urban political intervention. Ironically, he is probably the most famous street artist, though his identity is hidden behind a hood and mask. By analyzing Banksy’s fake-documentary film Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) and the so-called “Bemusement Park” Dismaland (2015) Banksy’s first attempt to curate a collective exhibition, this article posits that despite their differences in format, they share a common goal. In the age of neo-liberalism and postmodernist societies, both pieces challenge the very core of visual culture by questioning ideas of originality and authenticity.