Graffiti artist banksy biography wikipedia

Banksy has become one of the world's most famous artists. Banksy rose to prominence after he began spray-painting his now-trademark stencilled designs around Bristol in the early s. The city's influential music and arts scene - home of bands such as Massive Attack and Portishead - is said to have inspired his work. Banksy himself is believed to have been born in the nearby town of Yate, in South Gloucestershire, in the early s.

His first large stencil mural - The Mild Mild West - which depicts a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at three riot police, was painted in the Stokes Croft area of Bristol in In the early s, he moved to London and continued to attract attention with his satirical street art. The Mild Mild West was Banksy's first large stencil graffito artist banksy biography wikipedia.

By the mid s, Banksy was becoming a celebrity himself - albeit an anonymous one. Simultaneously, his works became more ambitious, popping up in cities all over the world. The appearance of a new Banksy soon started to become a media event. His mythical status as the masked artist poking fun at authority brought him - or at least his brand - international recognition.

Exhibitions of his work, in cities including Los Angeles and London, became sell-out events. His often politically-charged works began to sell for huge amounts of money, with customers including Pitt, Paul Smith and Christina Aguilera. Inhis Banksy v Bristol Museum showexternal drew enormous crowds. Sticking to his roots, inhis Dismaland exhibition took over a derelict seafront lido in Weston-super-Mare.

Banksy's Girl with Balloon was shredded seconds after the hammer fell at an auction at Sotheby's in October In what it declared to be a world exclusive,external The Mail on Sunday unveiled Banksy as Mr Gunningham, "a former public schoolboy brought up in middle-class suburbia". Compounding this theory, last year the BBC unearthed an interview in which the artist appears to confirm his first name as "Robbie".

A photograph by Banksy's former agent is said to show the artist at work. A book of photos released by Banksy's former agent, Steve Lazarides, claims to show the artist at workalthough none of the images showed his face. But it prompted yet more speculation - and intrepid photographers, both amateur and professional, trying to capture him on film.

The vocalist, better known as 3D, has denied this, although he claimed to know the identity of the real Banksy, referring to him as a friend. His artwork is often satirical, combining dark humour with messages about art, philosophy, and politics. By the early s, Banksy had relocated from Bristol to Londonwhere he began to gain notoriety; but, at the same time, his international work was taking off.

Very little is known about Banksy himself, as he refuses to be interviewed and carefully maintains his anonymity. Street art fanatics are consistently impressed by the far-reaching scope, variety, and bravery of every artwork he delivers, but are always left wanting more. This tactic encourages viewers to explore a completely new perspective or idea, often inspiring both amateur and professional artists.

Most recently, many sources, including an entire newspaper publication, suggested he was a Bristol native by the name of Robin Gunninham. His identity has reputedly even been concealed from his family. Only eight pieces of art were sold.

Graffiti artist banksy biography wikipedia

In the summer ofBanksy opened the dystopian theme park Dismaland in the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. Prepared entirely in secret, the project unveiled 10 new works by Banksy as well as works from 58 other artists. With nine rooms designed by Banksy himself, guests could literally sleep inside a work of art. Originally intended as a temporary and provocative piece of installation art, the Walled Off Hotel rapidly became a top tourist attraction.

Archived from the original on 17 November Along with Banksy, Bristol's graffiti heritage includes 3D, who went on to form Massive Attack, Inkie, and one of the original stencil artists Nick Walker. Financial Times. Archived from the original on 28 March Retrieved 4 November He had discovered Banksy on a chance photo shoot in Bristol in while working as picture editor of Sleaze Nation magazine, and brought him to public attention along with a roster of other urban artists Lazarides and Banksy parted company ina mysterious split about which both parties have remained tight-lipped.

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Archived from the original on 18 September Retrieved 18 September The New York Observer. Archived from the original on 2 February Archived from the original on 24 October Archived from the original on 4 January Gunningham was educated at Bristol Cathedral Choir School and Leicester Polytechnic, now De Montfort University, and according to a former friend, was "extremely talented at art".

Lived with artist Luke Egan. Aroundwhen Banksy moved from Bristol to London, Gunningham is known to have moved from Bristol to a London flat in Hackneyand a number of Banksy's most famous works appeared nearby. At that time, Gunningham lived with Jamie Eastman, who worked for a record label that used illustrations by Banksy. In response to reports that Banksy was Robin Gunningham, Banksy's agent refused to either confirm or deny the reports.

Simon Hattenstone from The Guardian is one of the very few people to have interviewed him face to face. Hattenstone describes him as "a cross of Jimmy Nail and British rapper Mike Skinner" and "a year old male who showed up wearing jeans and a t-shirt with a silver tooth, silver chain, and one silver earring. I am unable to comment on who may or may not be Banksy, but anyone described as being 'good at drawing' doesn't sound like Banksy to me.

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