Top 10 Greatest Banksy Art
Banksy is without doubt the world’s most famous graffiti artist. Banksy’s artwork has appeared everywhere from their native UK to San Francisco, Jerusalem, Timbuktu, Melbourne and the West Bank in Palestine. But the man – or woman – themself has remained in the shadows.
Time magazine selected the British artist, painter, activist, filmmaker for its list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2010, he found himself in the company of Barack Obama, Steve Jobs and Lady Gaga.
To some, his works of art are poignant, thought-provoking, ironic and humorous. To others, it is just vandalism.
Here is top 10 Banksy graffiti art and street art pieces:
1. Banksy Sweeping It Under The Carpet
This piece first appeared in 2006 in Chalk Farm, London. The piece is said to represent the reluctance of the western world to deal with global issues such as the AIDS epidemic, amongst others.
shutterstockBanksy explained the meaning behind the pictures: “In the bad old days, it was only popes and princes who had the money to pay for their portraits to be painted, this is a portrait of a maid called Leanne who cleaned my room in a Los Angeles motel. She was quite a feisty lady.”
The work later appeared in 2007 on a wall adjacent to the White Cube Gallery in London. The rendition was mysteriously painted over after standing for a month
2. A sculpture depicting a woman being attacked by seagulls
shutterstockModel motorised boats crammed with migrants, paparazzi photographing a dead Cinderella, and a pocket money loans kiosk offering cash to kids at an interest rate of 5,000% – these are just some of the installations in Banksy’s art show, Dismaland bemusement park, which opened on Weston-super-Mare seafront on 2015.
3. The Little Mermaid mutated by the toxic lake
The Dismaland in Weston-Super-Mare, the Banksy inspired parody fairground ,has attracted thousands of visitors.
shutterstockWhile Banksy said it was “not a swipe at Disney,” it’s difficult to ignore the reminders of Disneyland — from the castle and the sculpture of Ariel the mermaid in front of it, to the exhibit of Cinderella in her carriage.
4. Flower Thrower, 2003 – Jerusalem
This Banksy piece is probably one of the most well known. This iconic stencil illustration continues to stand out among all of the Bristol artist’s work.
This appeared in the West Bank village of Beit Sahour in 2003 . To many people it is a symbol of peace and hope. The image is reminiscent of the images from the 1960’s campus and street riots.
shutterstockThe masked rioter is throwing not a “Molotov Cocktail” but a flowers. The complete work is done in black and white, except the flowers, which are in color.
The image was featured in Banksy’s 2005 book entitled “Wall and Piece”.
5. Kissing Coppers (2004)
In this iconic image, twopolice officers in typical British uniforms are depicted kissing. This work was originally spray-painted on the side of the Prince Albert pub in Trafalgar Street the city of Brighton.
Before its creation, one of Banksy’s associates approached the pub owner to seek permission for the work. The pub owner says:, “My first thought was, ‘oh no’. I thought we’d get in loads of trouble for it.” But after its creation, a group of uniformed officers appeared in front of the pub to view the piece and proceeded to take pictures.
shutterstockIn 2011, the piece was replaced with a copy protected by a Perspex case, while the original was flown to the United States to be sold at auction for a sum believed to be in the region of half a million dollars.
6. Banksy paints Bridge Farm Primary Bristol wall as ‘present’
Banksy has done it again! On 6th June 2016 pupils at Bridge Farm Primary School in Bristol found a new mural decorating one of the walls – apparently painted by Banksy, the elusive street artist whose identity remains a closely guarded secret.
TwitterThe 14ft painting of a child with a stick with a stick chasing a burning tyre, signed by Banksy, was seemingly left as a token of appreciation after the school named one of its houses after the artist
#Banksy left this letter for Bridge Farm School. The caretaker found it – with the 14ft painting. pic.twitter.com/w9bqvniKEg
— Jon Kay (@jonkay01) June 6, 2016
7. Mild Mild West
Banksy graffiti piece titled Mild Mild West on a brick wall in the city centre on Sep 26, 2010 in Bristol, UK. Bristol. The piece depicts a huge, smiling teddy bear with a Molotov cocktail in his paw, facing three policemen holding up riot shields. Banksy is famous for its political street art scene.
shutterstockThe “Mild Mild West” was painted by Banksy on the side of a buildingand was done over the course of 3 days in broad daylight. It remains there to this day.
It was one of the first recognized pieces of graffiti artwork to appear in the ‘People’s Republic of Stokes Croft’ in Bristol.
8. Man Hanging From Window
The stencilled image shows a woman in her underwear standing behind a suited man leaning out of a window, and a naked man hanging onto the ledge. With typical Banksy irony, it was daubed on the side of a sexual health clinic in Frogmore Street, Bristol ( Banksy’s birthplace and spiritual home)
shutterstockThe public was invited to decide whether it should stay on the side of a building on Park Street or be removed. The piece has been allowed to stay after what the city council described as “overwhelming support” from the public.
9. Peaceful Hearts Doctor – San Francisco
In 2010, Banksy came to San Francisco and plastered new work around the city, including a prominent wall in Chinatown that suddenly sported a doctor, a stethoscope, a heart, and a peace sign.
shutterstockThe artwork was covered with Plexiglass to preserve it, but vandals have since poured black paint inside it which has damaged the doctor.