Arts Society Newbury lecture: Banksy: Fraud or Genius? by Pepe Martinez
at Arlington Arts, Snelsmore
on Tuesday, September 24
Review by ALAN CHILDS
LYING under a train he had been “tagging”, oil dripping on his face as he hid from the police, the young graffiti artist wished he had a way to make his mark and get out more quickly. Then above him he saw the stencilled train number.
And so the Banksy phenomenon was born, with its serious jokes, protests, artworld subversions, hint of rebellion, millions of fans, and more money than the still-anonymous artist expected, or even wants.
The desire to make a personal mark on a wall can be seen in the cave paintings of 30,000 years ago, Banksy expert Pepe Martinez told the Arts Society Newbury.
Graffiti art’s real origin, though, was in Philadelphia in the late Sixties, but became the image of the meanest streets of New York.
Banksy’s work, though, owes more to French street artist Blek Le Rat rather than the elaborate or ugly scrawl of most graffiti.
The stencils meant work could be up on walls in seconds and he became a ‘massive’ news story, Martinez said.
Images became iconic – the teddy bear with a Molotov cocktail, the rioter throwing flowers – to the point where his Girl with a red balloon was voted the UK’s most popular picture in a 2017 Samsung poll, ahead of Constable’s Haywain. Art critics were furious. It was “proof of our stupidity” wrote one.
So, asked Martinez, is Banksy an important artist of our time? His 30-year body of work – much of it destroyed or painted over – has made him immensely popular and his works sell for millions in galleries.
His events attract thousands of visitors and raise money for the councils he works with. He works to support refugees and Palestine. His most recent ‘gifts’ that appeared in London attracted hordes of visitors – and thieves.
Who is Banksy? Fraud or Genius?
His anonymity is part of the legend – partly because, technically, his work is vandalism and partly because “everybody loves a mystery” .
And, said Martinez: “ He doesn’t care if he’s not recognised as a great artist.”
Next lecture: The Body as a Place: The sculpture of Antony Gormley by Anna Moszynska, on Tuesday, October 22, at Arlington Arts, Mary Hare School, Snelsmore.
Visit theartssocietynewbury.org.uk for full details of all lectures.
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