subject: Where to Find Banksy Art Around the World [print this page] Where to Find Banksy Art Around the World
The guerilla artist Banksy has long been a slippery character, eluding authorities but leaving his mark all over the world. In fact, the British graffiti artist was recently nominated for a 2011 Oscar for his film "Exit Through the Gift Shop" and announced a plan to maintain his anonymity at the awards ceremony. The Academy balked about it, and his film lost to "Inside Job," anyway, but it just goes to show how serious he is about keeping his identity a secret.
His works are no secret, though, and he has left them all over the world. From England to LA, New Orleans to Palestine, and from France and Greece to Australia, Banksy has made public places into an art gallery for everyone to see. Here are some good places to look when you're out and about:
Europe
Banksy got his start in Bristol, England, and although the town authorities first saw him as a thorn in their side, they've now made legislation to preserve his works. One particularly famous work there is the Naked Man on the side of a sexual health clinic.
From Bristol, Banksy made his way to London. New images, many of them elaborate stencils (built for speed in evading the authorities), pop up from time to time, and many older works are still up. In fact, you can find numerous maps of London specifically showcasing the locations of his art and take a Banksy walking tour with other fans.
France and Greece are places that Banksy has visited as well, though not as much of his art is to be found in those countries. A particularly well-known piece, though, is a plain, stenciled message on a popular viewing spot for the Eiffel Tower reading "This is not a photo opportunity." Are rare Greek showing is to be found in Corfu Town.
Across the pond in the United States, Banksy's work has shown up in New Orleans and Los Angeles. Much of his work has satirical elements, focusing on politics and society. In one instance, he left a convincing 3D cardboard cutout of a Guantanamo Bay prisoner complete with black hood in a corner of a Disneyland ride, but employees removed it after about 30 minutes. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Banksy visited and created art that conveyed his impressions of the people and the ruined city.
Perhaps Banksy's most iconic and often referred to work is in Palestine and Israel. The famous Flower Thrower graffiti shows a young man with a masked face winding up to throw what could just as easily have been a rock or a flaming bottle, but is instead a bouquet of flowers. Again, on the wall of the West Bank barrier, he painted a simple ladder with a boy playing at the bottom called "Escapism." In 2005, Banksy created a total of 9 paintings in the area, including one of a little girl patting down an Israeli soldier for weapons.
Who knows where Banksy will show up next, but when he does it's guaranteed that people will take notice. Perhaps someday a map of the entire world will be made with Bansky pinpoints!
