Banksy case study

Banksy and other graffiti artists purpose is to get a message across to society, most often featuring anti-capitalism, human rights, anti-corporate and anti-advertising (adapting advertising and symbols, which some see as an attack, but Banksy sees it as a defence). Similar to what I said in a previous post how “in the 21st century, we behave how the television, media, advertising, tell us how to behave- this is our reality which we are unaware of” Banksy acknowledges that advertisements are being bombarded upon us (with the intention to make us feel inadequate/ or lacking in something that you must have) wherever we go. And that is why he perceives his work as a defence to what society is doing to itself.

One of his pieces about throwing flowers, an interpretation could be that he is trying to make things better and do a good gesture, like giving flowers, but it is being overlooked and ignored, so in order to be noticed by others, it has to be done violently (throwing the flowers).

Banksy argues that space, spectrum, atmosphere, oxygen etc. cannot be owned, it is just a basic right that everyone should have, which connects to one of his other works, ‘I want change’ which I personally think is one of his most poignant pieces.

His identity is unknown, yet his message isn’t a mystery: we are living in an ideological illusion about images; we think we are immune to them, but we are not. The media affects us, and so does his statements against them.