Banksy: Art or Vandalism?

There have been a few new Banksy pieces of 'art' found recently on walls out in the public. Whilst there is wide spread interest in them do you think that they could be seen as the work of a vandal and could inspire would be 'artists' to do the same? Glorifying vandalism, so to speak. Should he seek permission before carrying out his work?

He should have to get permission first, especially as he's a $20 million business.

I agree, on the business side he should be asking for permission.

On the art side I actually quite like some of his pieces, especially as they seem to be at least part inspiration for the graffiti you get to spray on the buildings in inFamous Second Son...

Well it's definitely vandalism, that's no question. You could ask whether the art will justify the vandalism.

Personally I don't think it can. I'm a fan of Banksy's work, but that doesn't mean whoever's building it is will be. If I came and painted something on your house or car, that certainly wouldn't be accepted.

Of course, these buildings are now far more valuable as a result, but that's beside the point.

Banksy's thoughts (from his book Wall and Piece):

Despite what they say, graffiti is not the lowest form of art. Although you might have to creep about at night and lie to your mum it's actually one of the more honest art forms available. There is no elitism or hype, it exhibits on the best walls a town has to offer and nobody is put off by the price of admission.

A wall has always been the best place to publish your work.

The people who run our cities don't understand graffiti because they think nothing has the right to exist unless it makes a profit, which makes their opinion worthless.

They say graffiti frightens people and is symbolic of the decline in society, but graffiti is only dangerous in the mind of three types of people; politicians, advertising executives and graffiti writers.

The people who truly deface our neighbourhoods are the companies that scrawl giant slogans across buildings and buses trying to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their stuff. They expect to be able to shout their message in your face from every available surface but you're never allowed to answer back. Well, they started the fight and the wall is the weapon of choice to hit them back.

Some people become cops because they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place.

When I was eighteen I spent one night trying to paint `LATE AGAIN' in big silver bubble letters on the side of a passenger train. British transport police showed up and I got ripped to shreds running away through a thorny bush. The rest of my mates made it to the car and disappeared so I spent over an hour hidden under a dumper truck with engine oil leaking all over me. As I lay there listening to the cops on the tracks I realised I had to cut my painting time in half or give up altogether. I was staring straight up at the stencilled plate on the bottom of a fuel tank when I realised I could just copy that style and make each letter three feet high.

I got home at last and crawled into bed next to my girlfriend. I told her I'd had an epiphany that night and she told me to stop taking that drug `cos it's bad for your heart.

It is both art, social commentary and vandalism. It doesn't have to be one or the other!

The people who run our cities don't understand graffiti because they think nothing has the right to exist unless it makes a profit, which makes their opinion worthless.

The problem with that is that graffiti generally, although obviously not always, looks terrible. If you let one person do it because their art looks good then what's to stop others doing it badly or putting up vulgar pictures or messages?

The problem with that is that graffiti generally, although obviously not always, looks terrible. If you let one person do it because their art looks good then what's to stop others doing it badly or putting up vulgar pictures or messages?

People do this already though (put up shitty looking graffiti). So unless the argument was about legalising graffiti, then that's already the reality. You get good graffiti mixed with eyesore stuff.

The Council also have the right to remove it, since it's illegal. So the crude stuff wouldn't stay up for long.

Most adverts are vulgar anyway, so what about that? The only person who really has a valid case to complain about graffiti, is the owner of the particular building that the graffiti has been done on.

People do this already though (put up shitty looking graffiti). So unless the argument was about legalising graffiti, then that's already the reality. You get good graffiti mixed with eyesore stuff.

But you if you popularise something then it will become more common.

Its Graffiti Art, technically vandalism but only if the owner of the property doesn't want it, if banksy wanted to paint on my walls he can crack on

His art massively increases property prices so personally i cannot see a downside to having it on any property

will it encourage others? to what? become successful artists who post their art on buildings? if all graffiti artists ended up as god as banksy thats a good thing

But you if you popularise something then it will become more common.

Banksy has already popularised it though hasn't he? If anything it'll show people that graffiti can be more artistic than "Craig was ere 12/04/14" and a cartoon cock next to it!

will it encourage others? to what? become successful artists who post their art on buildings? if all graffiti artists ended up as god as banksy thats a good thing

You can't encourage people to be successful, or even good. You can only encourage them to do something. Banksy can only encourage them to try graffiti art, it's down to them whether they're good, and down to them and other factors as to whether they're successful.

It's both art and vandalism. Asking permission would almost kill that complete vandal essence of it, no?

Bristol seem to love it, they turned a rather popular and pivotal part of Bristol City into a graffiti exhibit called "See No Evil"

I just called it Graffiti street myself..

Please see my comment on the football thread about all fans being dicks. I'm not wrong.

Now I want a nice, refreshing cold bottle of Coke-Cola.

Now I want a nice, refreshing cold bottle of Fuck That.

Vandalism.

Pretty to look at, but vandalism nonetheless.

The people who truly deface our neighbourhoods are the companies that scrawl giant slogans across buildings and buses trying to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their stuff. They expect to be able to shout their message in your face from every available surface but you're never allowed to answer back. Well, they started the fight and the wall is the weapon of choice to hit them back.

This is an interesting point.

For a year I lived in this building:

The area is well known for its street art and it would change quite often (and they'd do it in broad daylight, so I'm guessing the council were pretty okay with it). That particular piece was done by Roa and has ties to the local Bangladeshi community (the Crane is apparently a sacred bird).

Then the council decided to do this:

It was crass commercialism at its most obvious and just trying to turn the area's history and culture into pure commercial gain, at the expense of the actual community.

It was swiftly removed due to the outcry (and I like to think, in part, because they wrote to us asking if it would be okay and put it up before the consultation period had finished, so I pointed that out to them), but I think it highlights what Banksy was discussing.

So it seems that a lot of people are using commercialism to justify graffiti. But I wonder how many Coca-cola buildings, or PR offices Banksy has used as his canvas. Compared to how many places of residence.

I wasn't personally trying to state either side, just provide an example where I feel that art* was the better choice than commercialism.

*I chose the word 'art' because 'vandalism' by definition is "deliberately mischievous or malicious", as this piece was done for, and in conjunction with, the local community. And at the end of the day, it attracts people (so many people taking photos) and has increased the value of the property. So art has turned into commercial gain...

So it seems that a lot of people are using commercialism to justify graffiti. But I wonder how many Coca-cola buildings, or PR offices Banksy has used as his canvas. Compared to how many places of residence.

A quick search shows he has "placed work" on/in: Disneyland, The 2012 Olympics, Bristol Zoo, the Israeli West Bank Barrier and Paris Hilton's album in 48 different music shops.

I personally like his work (especially the Coke thing above), both in terms of aesthetics and messages, but I agree some pieces do miss the mark. I guess that's what makes it art though: it divides opinion and gets people thinking (whether they agree with it or not).

I also think that he's a great modern artist in every sense of the word. I bet most people couldn't even name a current artist, let alone recognize their work. We're not exactly the most cultured bunch in the world, but here we are discussing modern art (or the validity of it in some cases).

His work is cool. Way better than some shitty drippy tag quickly slapped onto a wall with a Games Workshop Chaos Black spray can.

The issue is his work kind of inspires both the good and bad kinds of street art. Dunno how many kids have grabbed spray cans after seeing his work and dicked the local library or something equally dumb.

That said, it definitely is vandalism. But hey, that's what makes it so edgy and appealing, right? Lots of property owners make an effort to preserve his work and they're kind of an attraction to a lot of people. One piece near our old offices has plastic fixed over it for preservation because the paintwork on the wall is crumbling so badly.

He can't really ask for permission either, even if his business has grown to the point where he probably should. That might destroy a lot of his appeal. His whole business or persona is one of a mysterious rouge rebelling against the system.

Or something, I dunno. Funny wall pictures.