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Who Is Banksy?
The simple answer is: no one really knows.
Banksy is an anonymous graffiti artist. That means he keeps his identity hidden. He will not do media interviews, he won’t release his real name, and he will not allow photos or copies of his artwork to be made and sold.

What Is Graffiti?
Graffiti is writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed secretly on a wall or other surface in a public place. It is generally considered to be vandalism. Vandalism is a crime and vandals can be punished.
Vandalism is the deliberate destruction of belongings or property.
Photos courtesy of Gerardofegan and Steven Depolo (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Banksy’s Beginnings
Banksy is originally from Bristol, England. He was part of the Bristol underground art scene, and he was inspired by the graffiti artist called 3D.
Bansky first started working as a freehand graffiti artist in 1990 and continued until 1994. He met a photographer called Steve Lazarides, who began selling his art for him. Steve then became Banksy’s agent, which means he arranged exhibitions.

Voicing His Opinion
Banksy uses his art to give his opinion on events that are happening in the world. He is known as a political activist. The graffiti he paints shows what he thinks. The most common themes are his views on greed, poverty, despair, the obsession with celebrities, the government and war.
Graffiti artists have a ‘tag’, which is like putting a signature on
their work.
Photos courtesy of Francisco Huguenin Uhlfelder (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Technique
Banksy uses stencils to create his artwork. He draws an outline onto card or acetate sheets and then cuts the shapes out by hand. He then uses spray paint on the stencil to create the graffiti.
Banksy has said that before he used stencils, he was very slow at painting, so he often got caught or didn’t finish a piece at all.
Some graffiti artists think it is cheating to use stencils. They prefer to paint freehand.

Mild Mild West, 1997
Mild Mild West was Banksy’s first large wall mural. It was painted in Bristol.
Photos courtesy of William Avery (via Wikimedia.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Rat in London
This rat is holding a camera.
Photos courtesy of LoopZilla (via Wikimedia.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution
What message do you think Banksy is sending through this painting?

Banksy in Liverpool
Banksy has painted on walls all over the country.
Photos courtesy of Tom K&E (via Wikimedia.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Shoreditch, London
What is Banksy saying in this painting?
What is he saying about the elderly and the young people in society?
Photos courtesy of Justinc (via Wikimedia.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Shop Till You Drop
Banksy has taken a famous saying and turned it into an amusing piece of art.
What is he saying about how much shopping people do?
Photos courtesy of Quentin UK (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

Skeleton Rower
Some paintings would have been hard to get to. Look where Skeleton Rower was painted.

Chamber Maid in Hoxton, London
What do you think Banksy is saying about society and wealthy people, through this piece of art?
Photos courtesy of Seanbjack (@flickr.com) - granted under creative commons licence – attribution

What Do You Think?
Some people do not think Banksy’s graffiti is “art” but think it is vandalism and shouldn’t be encouraged or praised. After all, he is painting these murals on public walls without permission.
Some people think it will make others copy him and start painting on areas around cities and towns where they are not allowed.
Then there are other people who say that Banksy is
making everyone aware of problems in the world and
that he should be allowed to ‘voice his opinion
through art’.
What do you think about Banksy’s graffiti?