Banksy

British street artist Banksy has a career that has been marked by experimentation, risk, and a daring playfulness. His stencil-heavy motifs—of rats, cops, and kids with balloons—have simply become part of a shared cultural vocabulary, reproduced (and ripped off) with abandon.Banksy’s signature style emerged around the 1990s and became recognized around areas of Bristol. It was by the early 2000s that Banksy relocated to London. This is where he began to gain notoriety; but, at the same time, his international work took off.“Royal Guard Peeing on Wall” London, 2002Initially, he preferred drawing and producing freehand, but in 2000 he began using stencils, in part due to how quickly they may be produced. Scroll down below and view our selection of Banksy’s early stencil-works in around London.“Girl hugging TV” in Covent Garden, London, 2005Old Street, London, 2005East End, London, 2005Banksy’s CCTV’s in London, 2003Banksy’s Pooh Bear in London, 2003“Snorting Copper” by Banksy on Curtain Road, in Shoreditch, London, 2005Curtain Road, Londoin, 2004“Che Guevear” by Banksy in London, 2003Board X Urban Games, London, 2000Dalston, London back in 2003“Flower Thrower” in London, 2000Again, much like his other works, this simple image of “Flower Thrower” conveys a lot, in terms of his political commentary. By substituting flowers for a weapon, it’s as if Banksy is sending a message that there can be peace and hope, even in places where there is a lot of destruction. More

Arguably the most controversial street artist in the world, the works of Banksy have become a subculture in their own right. Banksy’s works are well-known for being political and thought-provoking at the same time. The anti-establishment slant together with his creativity made him reach this level of popularity.Banksy is without doubt among the most gifted minds and has expressed his thoughts through his graffiti. Take a look below and enjoy these quotes and sayings by Banksy.“Do not punish yourself”, 2005Artwork from Los Angeles Series, 2003Japan, 2002Graffiti work in Los Angeles, USAMural done on Melrose Ave in Hollywood, California. It depicts the famous sidekick Robin with the quote “NO MORE HEROES”.Bristol, England, Late 90’sThis is a very obscure early Banksy stencils from the late 90s in Bristol. The text is paraphrasing a quote from the film director David Puttnam “Nowhere in the world will you find a statue of a critic, or the biography of a committee”.Early London, UK work, 2001Quote from Los Angeles show, 2006“Fame is a basic human right” Los Angeles, USA, 2006“You looked better on myspace” another work from Los Angeles, USA, 2006Early piece of Banksy from Glasgow, Scotland,“Lying to the police is never wrong”Banksys “The Bear and the Bee” in Kensington Park Road, LondonThis piece is found on the side of a trash container in Notting Hill, London.  It is a parody of a La Fontaine fable.“If you win the rat-race, you’re still a rat”London, United Kingdom, 2004A love poem by Banksy form Los Angeles show, 2006Last image is Banksy’ s take on romance injected with his kind of humour. More

Banksy’s street art first appeared in Bristol in the 1990’s. From the underground art scene of Bristol he expanded his work and is continually sharing his artistic mark all over the world. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique.

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This particular style is usually recognised easily by people as his trademark. Most of Banksy’s pieces nowadays can be described as bold and striking with the abundance of blacks (and spot colours on occasion). His vibrant murals when he was just a starting freehand graffiti artist are lesser known to the public.
For this day’s article, here’s a selection of Banksy’s earliest works with most works created before he started using stencils.

“Slick” a freehand piece in Bristol, England, 1999

Back in 1999, Banksy was a friend of the then owner of this property who let the artist hand paint his Slick on Brick artwork, depicting a monkey plunging a detonator to blow the door off a safe, on the outside wall of his garage/workshop.
The mural was then covered over in magnolia paint by a disapproving neighbour a year after. Banksy’s work now hidden in layers of paint have been estimated to amount around £400,000 if it is restored in a way that some of his previous works have been, said art experts.

“Slammin’” in Southmead, Bristol, England, 1999

“Crude Oil Jerry” stencil of a cartoon mouse character Jerry on an oil painting, United Kingdom, 2003

“Bird and Grenade” oil and spray enamel on found canvas in London, 2002

“Quakattack” In Bristol, England, in the late 90’s

Print in Leicester, England, mid-90’s

Banksys’ old elephant graffiti with the words “What part of thermo-nuclear war don’t you understand”

“Vote Less” in Brighton, UK, 2006

Early cartoon of Banksy’s “Elephant with Bomb”

“Dog Circle” an early painting

Mural in Carlton Arms Hotel in New York City, 1999

Banksy once stayed and painted at Carlton Arms, a Manhattan hotel that has been a haven for artists seeking lodging. 

Banners by Banksy in Carlton Arms Hotel, New York City, late 90s

Mural in Easton, Bristol, England, late 90s

Work in Bristol, England, late 90s

A freehand piece in Bristol, England, 1999

Mural in Bristol, England, 1997 More

Famous street artist Banksy displays his art on publicly visible surfaces such as walls and self-built physical prop pieces. Banksy no longer sells photographs or reproductions of his street graffiti, but his public “installations” are regularly resold, often even by removing the wall they were painted on.

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When we think of an artist, the first things that comes to mind are their most renowned pieces. So here’s a refreshing way in rediscovering Banksy’s art — a little viewing over some pages of his sketchbook. Scroll below to view some of Banksy’s rare sketches and have a sneak of what goes into his artistic process.

Sketch of policemen together with the subject of Edvard Munch’s The Scream

“Riot Cop Drawing” from Dalston, 2003

This sketch was exhibited at the Vanina Holasek / Bankrobber London show in NYC Dec 2nd-29th 2007. Listed as “Tom Tom” Piece work 2004 (but 2002/3 is more likely).
The drawing shows a window display formulated for a Banksy show at TomTom Gallery in London (Banksys gallery at the time), with ideas for the window graphics/paint/artwork incorporating “Fuck the Police” and Banksy as well as. An early example of his now iconic signature. The show never materialised at TomTom but was to take another much larger form at the infamous “Turf War” show in Dalston (East London) in 2003.

Sketch of a person holding a stereo with the words “Don’t hate the player, hate the game”

Banksy’s sketchbook drawing of his freehand Cat & Dog street piece in Easton, Bristol in the late 90s

Cat & Dog Piece in Easton, late 90’s

Sketch of graffiti with pointing hands

Sketch of a maid with the words “grim spot for it light skin tone”

Banksy’s “Sweep It Under The Carpet Maid” sketch

This is a sketch of one of Banksy’s more famous works “Sweep It Under The Carpet Maid”. Banksy 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.”

Sketch of a person painting

A quote from Banksy

Rat sketch of Banksy

Rats are one of Banksy’s greatest sources of inspiration and one of the most prolific subjects in his work.

Banksy’s sketches and versions of street signs More

Street artist Bansky has been surprising the world since the 90’s. From then on Banksy’s silkscreen prints and stencil paintings were racking up record-breaking sales in storied art auctions such as Sotheby’s and Bonham’s of London. These successful sales marked Banksy’s entry into the commercial art world. For the second part of our series “Discovering Banksy”, we are sharing his “little-known” paintings and prints mostly dating in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

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Scroll down below to view the interesting selection.

Riot Painting from Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1997

Riot Painting features Banksy’s arguably most famous piece the “Flower Thrower”. At first glance it looks like a rioter about to throw a Molotov Cocktail. However this “rioter” is throwing a bouquet of flowers instead.

Police Car Print

Painting on Canvas from Easton, Bristol in 1999

Chicken & Egg Painting on Steel

Early painting of Banksy sold for £10.00 in 1998

Early painting of Banksy sold for £10.00 in 1998 (back of canvas)

“Keep it Real” Painting on Canvas, 2006

Painting from 1999

Rubber Ducky, Painting on Canvas, 2006

Clown on Skate Deck, 2000

Avon and Somerset Constabulary, sold for £96,000 in 2000

“Land in Poop” early print

Bomb Hugger Print, 2002

“Sid Vicious” Canvas Print sold for £82,000 in Bristol, UK, 2007

“Armored Dove” in Bethlehem, 2007

“Barcode Leopard” Print, 2004 More