Graffiti, an ephemeral language. Here at this Banksy Street Artwork in Manchester, it speaks volumes even without uttering a single word.
Banksy, the Bristol-born enigma. His identity remains shrouded in secrecy. He uses stencils to create his distinctive graffiti images. His work appears in public spaces across the UK and around the world.
Consider the location of Banksy’s pieces. They can be found on street corners, doors, shop fronts and alleyways. These are not gallery walls. They are integrated into the urban landscape.
One of Banksy’s most famous images is Love is in the Air. An early version of it was gifted to DJ Mary Anne Hobbs. It was displayed at Manchester Art Gallery. The image became one of Banksy’s most iconic designs. It was used on the cover of We love you… so love us. This was the record label’s first compilation album in 2000.
The Art of Banksy, a critically acclaimed national art tour, has made its way around galleries in Toronto, Tel Aviv, Miami, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Gothenburg and London. The Art of Banksy attracted over one million visitors worldwide. It fueled the artist’s reputation as one of the top political creatives of our time.
The exhibition features over 130 works. These have been loaned by private collectors. The Art of Banksy showcases prints, screenprints, canvases, wood and paper pieces. It also features limited edition works. These have been less exposed to the public eye than, say, Girl With Balloon.
The exhibition has not been authorised or curated in collaboration with the artist. All works are on loan from existing collectors. None are removed from doors or houses. None were created to be seen by the audience for free.
Banksy’s work has remained a modern-day mystery since those first freehand graffiti installations popped up in Bristol at the start of the 90s.
Banksy’s artworks have raked in tens of millions from sales. Auction house Christie’s valued a Banksy painting inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. The painting, called Sunflowers From Petrol Station, could reach up to £13.2 million.
Imagine stumbling upon a new mural. It bears all the hallmarks of Banksy’s guerrilla street art style. This happened at the Griffin Hotel in Stockport. The mural is of a boy flying a kite. The kite has an acid house-style face.
Greater Manchester has its own Banksy, Mr Eggs. Mr Eggs’ pieces of work include a child stuck inside a bright pink donut. Another artwork features an angry looking Noddy with his car left on bricks. Mr Eggs wants to make you stop and think.
Banksy’s art is more than just paint on a wall. It’s a statement. It is a conversation. It is a challenge to the status quo. This Banksy Street Artwork serves as a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places. It prompts us to question the world around us. It inspires us to see beauty in the everyday.