It is not hard to see why Banksy’s street art has captured global imagination and attention. With his satirical stencil work, he has been a fixture since the 1990s when he was first associated with a gang of underground graffiti artists in Bristol. By 2010 he was named by Time magazine in its list of the 100 most influential people. The mysterious and elusive Brit cares about the world and what it has become.
His pieces, which take the form of political and social commentary, appear on structures – buildings, houses, bridges, ships etc. – wherever and whenever. On a bitterly divided planet, he seeks peace, not war. He stands up to bullies, to arrogance, authoritarianism and oppression. He is also subversive. He doesn’t run with the pack. He is a leader, not a follower.
Over the decades, he has become a man of many causes, including Ukraine and the Middle East. In amongst the turmoil, upheaval and grandstanding he witnesses, he retains hope. All this is evident in a brilliant, curated exhibition currently on show in Melbourne. Titled The Art of Banksy – Without Limits, it features 180 of the graffiti artist’s works, among them more than 70 originals.
Some are framed, some painted on walls and others under glass. Most come with written detail and QR codes alongside, enabling us to learn more about them. As part of the exhibition, there are lithographs, murals, sculptures, photos, videos and video mapping installations. Most prominent is iconic imagery for which he has become known. I refer to red love balloons floating away, rat and monkey faces, choppers and police.
Among the many highlights is a nod to Dismaland Bemusement Park, a pop-up project by Banksy in the seaside resort of Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset in 2015. Think Disneyland with an acerbic tone. There is Banksy money and a crumbling red phone booth and much more. I spent two hours wandering through the retrospective and could easily have spent longer, as there is a great deal to explore and appreciate.
Banksy turns the blowtorch on society. He holds a mirror to the world and the reflection is far from pretty. His work is expressive, incisive, eloquent and distressing. I am full of admiration for what he has created and achieved. I had no idea his repertoire was as large as it is. The Art of Banksy – Without Limits is quite a revelation. Nearly two million people across Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia have already seen it and now it is our turn.
It is a redolent display of pop culture that you really should see, because it speaks to the here and now. To me, Bansky is the Andy Warhol of the 21st century, an undeniable and ever-present force, substantive and instructive. To buy tickets, go to https://artofbanksyau.com/melbourne/
The exhibition remains in Melbourne until 20th September, 2024.
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe – art preview
- Rone’s Time (Flinders Street Station) – art review
- Portrait Month at AGWA – art feature
Alex First is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.
