And in case you don't know, here's what his street art looks like
also, larger scale exhibitions and installations such as Dismaland
Anyways, today in Liverpool, Banksy's Love Plane was removed from a building that is about to be demolished and reconstructed so that it could be installed in a "street art gallery"
First of all, the entire piece wasn't even removed, just the airplane
before:
after:
The group that removed it (Sincura Group) left a note that reads
"Dear Liverpool, the Banksy Love Plane artwork has been removed It is being restored and will return to Liverpool to feature in your new Street Art museum"
I'm not partial to the idea of street art being put in a museum. They claim to be doing this so that Banksy's work can be enjoyed for many years to come, which is understandable, but is street art supposed to be something that lasts forever? Isn't that the risk you take when you put your art on private property? Street art gets removed and painted over all the time! That's just the nature of it. Is it even still street art if you rip it off the wall and put it in a gallery?
This also isn't the first Banksy they've stolen, in 2014 they put on a exhibition titled "Stealing Banksy"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/10785417/Banksy-condemns-disgusting-Stealing-Banksy-exhibition-on-opening-day.html
Personally, I think this is bullshit. The group claims that this "street art gallery" isn't about the money, but in their 2014 Stealing Banksy exhibition they sold Banksy's Slave Labour work for more than 750,000 euros
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/banksys-love-plane-artwork-removed-11906978
Anyone think this is a good call? Thoughts on taking street art off the streets?
This is really interesting and I think you've asked some great questions. I personally agree that street art shall remain as such and if it should be destroyed due to the the refurbishing of a building or what have you then so be it. I do believe that is the purpose of creating street art along with it being a semi rebellious form of expression one that in many cases can get you in legal trouble. Banksy does engage in a semi form of graffiti yet hes getting praised or acknowledgement for it, and not just by the street art community but by people with a little bit more power. Yet the average teenager tagging things with spray paint would face legal trouble if they got caught do that. I don't know it just seems back asswards.
ReplyDeleteI love that you're questioning the preservation of Banksy's pieces, this reminds me of an exhibit that was in NYC in 2014 called City as Canvas that may be brought to the museum I work at sometime next year. I had some of the same thoughts that you just did with Banksy's piece when I flipped through the exhibition book.
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