Banksy at 40

Banksy have never made his identity or real name public. Most sources can tell that he is probably born in 1974 (or 1973).  Since the beginning of the millenium he has had a remarable career as an artist, publisher and a movie maker. Few, living artist experiences that their works are sold for millions of dollars at auctions. Collectors and investors opent their wallets wide for relatively modest pieces of work from Banksy's hand. I'm not a collector and don't have the kind money needed for purchasing his works, but I must admit that I do admire him. For some reason I think I would like him....... He is smart and his creative talent is way higher than his fellow colleagues working in the streets and in addition he likes Massive Attack :-). Involentary, maybe, he has also become the street artist that mostly sumbolizes big money, fame and commercialism in street art. And Banksy at 40 constantly fights that image.

His Master's Voice (photographed in London 2012)

The subversive artist probably identifies with the dog. Banksy at 40 may have an identity crises. 

Banging your head against a brick wall

Yesterday I got my order from e-bay in the mail box. it's the first book published by Banksy in 2001 and costed me 68 dollars (used, but in good shape). In the 90s Banksy was a free hand graffiti painter and writer. In 2000 he changed style and began to make stencil works in the streets of Bristol and London. The photos are mainly taken by Steve Lazarides who later became Banksy's agent.

Simple Intelligence Testing in Dumb Animals (Facsimile from 'Banging your head against a brick wall')

The book is small, the size of a passport, but it's forcasting what we now know as an intelligent and  multitalented artist, by his writing, his prints and his street art. Banksy was, and still is, a publisher and an activist!

facsimile from 'Banging your head against a brick wall'

 It's a lot of text in the book, sometimes self biographical and begins like this " You could say that Graffiti is ugly, selfish and that it's just the action of people who wants some pathetic kind of fame. But if that's true it's only because graffiti writers are just like everyone else in this fucking country"

facsimile from 'Banging your head against a brick wall'

Banksy was born in Bristol in 1974. He is son of a photocopier technician and he trained as a butcher. His skills in printing and his ability to cut through the crap with words that are sharp as a butchers' knife are now famous. A small, but great book.

Street Art theft!!

Street art enthusiasts connected to Kunstveggen, along with the local council, got the idea of trying to preserve street art originally made illegal by Dolk and Pøbel around In Bergen city. The council gave 50 000 krones (about 8500 dollars) for the purpose. The result is that officials glued plexiglas on ten street art works.

The idea and protection plan is controversial among street art interests.  A local street art blog, Mot Veggen, argued against the this type of protection for two main reasons. The first reason is that street art is ment to be temporary and second, the protection of certain "valuable" street art works would draw unwanted attention to the works. It seems like the like the blog was right. Few days after the protection plan became public through local media, a work by Dolk, "Grenade Lovers" was stolen from the streets of bergen.

The stolen piece"Grenade Lovers" by Dolk

Now there is just a wooden plate where the Dolk piece where done about 8 years ago outside a pub in Bergen and a part of street art culture is gone. Part of Dolk's talent was/is to pick locations for his works and now the place looks sad and empty.

There is a price of 30 000 krones (about 5100 dollars) to those who can find the work, but local media speculates that the piece may be worth about 200 000 krones (about 34000 dollars). It's no coincidence between the protection plan and the theft. Theft? Well, the owner of the building is unsure. He have not really thought of this work as his belonging. It was made without his permission and is unsure if he can report this to the Police as stolen property. I don't know what the law text says about this, but he got a point. The city have never claimed ownership of the piece either. So, no one really owns this. The thieves have stolen something that don't belong to anyone, but something that belongs to everyone, me included. And I think that the thieves should give it back.

Steel plate placed where the Pøbel work used to be

It's not the first time someone removes street art works from the streets of Bergen. A piece by Pøbel was removed early spring. There are thieves of street art and the sad part is that there probably are buyers.

The stolen Pøbel piece

Summer 2012 Banksy made the work below in North London, later it was stolen, cut out of the wall. The community started to demonstrate, claiming the work back on their street. Later the piece was exhibited in Wynwood, Miami Basel in US for sale on an auction. The street art piece had been stolen by the owners of the wall (the building) in London. The reactions among people in London and US where strong, and the work was withdrawn from the auction. Later, on a private auction in London in June 2013, the work was sold for more than a million pounds. Read a BBC report here.

Image of the Banksy original VIA www.liveauctioneers.com "Slave labor"

In february 2013 I took this photo in London where the original "Slave Labour" work by Banksy where placed

Street art can be an easy target for theft because the works are made in public places for everyone. Unless the artist makes huge works on thick concrete walls! At least, that will make theft really hard.

I call him Bansky!

- Hey!! Do you know who did this?
- Eh?
- I met the guy who did this, I own the building!
- It's DOLK!
- Yeah, he is a mystery guy Ah? Just like Bansky.
- Mm... Banksy
-  Whatever! Where u from?
- Norway! Just like DOLK
- And u come all the way from Norway to see this?
- Eh.. yeah! And New York of course!
- Tell Dolk that I keep his work there for at least 50 years, yes forever!
- Well... I probably never meet him....but you have to keep his work, that's a good thing!
- Yeah! And when I meet Banksy, I will call him Bansky
-Ok!

The owner starts up his car and I shoot some more photos. This piece of work outside is just awesome and location is perfect. I'm in East Williamsburg, New York City. I'ts September and the weather is still warm.

The streets of New York are incredibly long and I have walked around for hours and my feets are hurting. But I don't care because it's so much to see, to take in and discover.

Williamsburg is one of Brooklyn's most exciting neighborhoods and straddles old and new, commerce and alternative. It's a lively arts and music scene here and numerous small galleries, cafes and restaurants.

I rest my legs at a gallery/cafe/music venue and soak up the creative energy.

I love Dolk Outside! And finding this piece made my day. As far as I know Its the only Dolk piece left (outside) in Brooklyn and goes back to 2010.

Street Art is Dead...?

Sever - Street Art Funeral. Picture by Jsinghur

It's some time now since Sever made this piece in Detroit. I've been thinking some time about this piece since I saw it on the net some months ago. What do Sever wants to tell us with this. All the figures in the piece, Shepard Fairey (Obeygiant), Os Gemeos, Twist (Barry McGee), Banksy, Futura and Kaws are artists that began their career doing illegal graffiti and street art. Now, they are recognized artists doing gallery exhibitions, sell prints and merchandise, and do commissioned work around the world. Their works are sold for huge figures on art auctions. They have a commercial market value and have become part of the establishment.

 If street art is dead, it refers to a certain opinion or notion about what street art was and how it died, And yet, It's quite difficult to find a common understanding of what street art is or was.

We could think of Street Art in a broad sense as art in different genres made outside (in the streets) and free for the public to see. Then we would have to include art genres as graffiti in all its forms, murals, sculptures, performances, installations, music, dance, literature etc. One criteria could probably be that you could distinguish these works from business signs, commercials and event posters. This definition does not distinguish between public art placed or organized by officials or legally by private interests and art work which is done spontaneous or illegally in the streets. With this definition we could say that Street Art is still alive, even if time have made the boundaries between public and private interests, commercial and non-commercial art, and legal and illegal art more blurred and unclear. So, when Os Gemeos paints a huge wall legally in Boston on commission (which may or may not be paid), it's regarded as Street Art because it's in a public space and free and for everybody to see.

Another way to look at it, is to see Street Art as part of the Graffiti movement, a culture, which started in US, France and UK in the late 70's together with rap music, punk music and politically radical communities. It was illegal, anti-commercial, subversive, political and regarded as underground activity and vandalism by the officials and the establishment. In the 80's and 90's the culture grew, expanded and differentiated into a multivariate of styles, technics and inspirations. New York based train painters influenced kids in Europe, and French stencil makers gave ideas to US and Australian artists and so on. The graffiti and street art culture became international, but also divided into subcultures with different "rules" and views on what their work was about. During the 2000s, the globalization of graffiti and street art have continued and the respective subcultures too. When these subcultures clash, they are referred to as "Graffiti War.” I think Sever's work in Detroit must be seen as a comment on the parts of the street art culture that have been commercialized, and that the main representatives (the coffin carriers) are ruining, in his view, what street art is about, the spirit and values.

The situation is confusing because today, the same "vandal" can be exhibited in a famous art institution in L.A., and arrested for vandalism in another state or country; A stencil piece raising awareness about child labour made illegally on a wall in North-East London, can be removed and sold on a art auction in America for more than a million dollars; President Obama have a street art print in the White House presented to him by the conservative prime minister in UK made by an artist who have been arrested and fined several times for vandalism.

In this view, the street art culture may not be dead yet, but the idea of a street art movement is deconstructed and transferred into a pop culture with present "street-art-stars" which travel the world. The public follows and everybody with an artistic talent wants be like them. The visited city gets free publicity on internet worth millions. Organised street art festivals around the world even use the word "Line up" when they refer to which artists that will be presenting their works.  When "the biggest of them all" Banksy is asked: "Why are you such a sell out?" His answer is "I wish I had a pound for every time someone asked me that."

DOLK 10 years! From vandal to artist

From illegal street art to high priced prints

Dolk began as street artist in Bergen in 2003 and according to an interview done in 2004, he had clear goals with his work: To travel the world and make money from his art. That goal is reached. He sells prints through hand made posters (hmp) where most works are priced about 900 pounds and most works are sold out. These works goes on ebay for way higher prices. Dolk have gallery exhibitions and are invited to major international street art festivals and do commissioned works all over the world. Dolk have been and is a success story.

His break trough as a stencil artist was probably when Dolk participated at "Santa's Ghetto" festival in London in 2006 (Invited by Banksy). At the same time, this probably also ends his underground image as a vandal, doing illegal works in the streets.

There are not many illegal pieces from Dolk left, and Bergen is probably still the only place where you can find early illegal works by Dolk.

Dolk in Sandviken Bergen (photo 2011)

"Crush" by Dolk in Skottegaten, Bergen (Photo 2011)

Ghetto Spedalsk (Lofoten 2008)

One of Dolks most remarkable projects so far is Ghetto Spedalsk together with Pøbel in the rural area of Lofoten, Norway. They began to paint abandoned houses in 2008 and have continued to do so every summer. This project brought attention to the depopulation and decay in rural parts of Norway and is nationally and internationally recognised. These art works are as far away from their urban roots as possible. I have not been in the Lofoten area my self and is high on my "things to do list". See some works in Lofoten here and on Dolk's own webpage here.

Dolk vs. Banksy

Back in 2004, Dolk formulated another goal in his interview: To "crush" Banksy. Well, that goal still seems far fetched. Banksy was (and may still be) Dolk's idol and hero and influenced Dolk's stecil style early on. Dolk, as Banksy, have still kept his identity a secret and people mix up works by the two artists. Banksy undoubtably helped Dolk's career by inviting Dolk to festivals in London and probably they are friends. Banksy is still the master of this game. While Dolk do commissioned work, sell prints and exhibit in galleries, Banksy still do illegal work in the streets, he makes books, films and action oriented art stunts. Banksy have kept his subversive tone and seems to be more a better organiser and creative to a larger extent than Dolk.

"The Winner" one of the latest works from Dolk. Made for Bergen Night Jazz, May 2013 (photo 2013)

Robert Clarke: Seven years with Banksy

During the christmas holidays I read Will Ellsworth-Jones: The man behind the wall (gifted to me by my daughter). A good read, and I got insight into Banksy's work, life and development as an phenomenon in the art world. This Easter I picked up a new book from the store, written by a friend of Banksy, Seven years with Banksy by Robert Clarke. I looked forward to spending some relaxing holidays reading about the elusive Banksy. Opposite to Ellsworth-Jones, who never interviewed or met Banksy, Clarke claimed friendship to Banksy, and hanged out with him in New York, London, Glastonbury and Bristol. At least, periodically for seven years (1995 - 2002). The early years of Banksy's creative period. The cover of the book even have a picture of Banksy (from Behind).

The book is an easy read, and tells more about the author him self than Banksy really. Robert (the author) names Banksy as Robin through out the book. Robert was the first person who bought a picture from Robin for ten pounds in 1998. Well, I dont know how much is worth now, but I was a bit disappointed that he didn't print the piece in the pictures sections of the book. Just the signature on the backside. Robert seems to be a guy who has been all over, travelling, know a lot of people at the "alternative scene", working as a doorman in clubs, and drive around in his Harley. Both are from Bristol, but Robin seems to come from an entire different culture and it's a bit difficult to understand the nature of their friendship, except that they both have connections to the "alternative scene" and occasionally hang out together. We also learn to know that the picture on the cover, is taken of Clarke's mum while Banksy painted a piece on Glastonbury. She probably possess other photos too. "Who could say 'no' to someone's mum?"

Banksy painting at the Glastonbury Festival in 1999. It's not Clarke's mums photo

 Well, at one occasion described in the book, Robin approach Robert with the question of going public, and Robert gives him reasons for not doing that. My guess is that Banksy wanted check out Robert and his thoughts around this question, and not advice. By this Banksy secured his anonymity. Banksy have not commented on the book as expected (Ellsworth-Jones book gives insight to why he doesn't and won't).

I was kind of disappointed when Robert Clarke did'n publish the piece he bought in 1998 for "a tenner" in his book, but it seems to be available on the net.

The book reinforce the enigma around Banksy in descriptions of how he dress, move and behave in different settings. Banksy is pictured as a "happy go vandal" but also a person with ideas and plans and with a deeper side to him that the author don't catch or get insight to. Robert admits this and that's maybe the problem with the book: The title implies a more intimate insight, some more deeper sense of how Banksy relate and what kind of friend he is. Well, the reader gets something, some good stories.

Roberts girfriend Johanna plays a minor part in the book, as the girlfriend back in sweeden. Many pictures in the book is credited her, also the pictures of Paradise Quarry in Somerset. Robert tells that Robin express his liking for Johanna and how important that this is for Robert. My guess is that Johanna is more involved in the story than the book implies.

Johanna Köhlin-Clarke's picture

The book "seven years with Banksy" doesn't give the same insight into Banksy's work or even Baksy as a person as Ellsworth-Jones' book, but give us some good stories from a person that did meet Banksy in person late 90's and beginning of 2000 on several occasions. He even participate in some of the "raids" Banksy did in London and Somerset, just hanging around with no spray can or artistic abitions him self. He's just in it for the fun and now he is making a buck on this book. Probably is this the first book of this kind from people who have "hanged out" with Banksy or known him. I'm pretty sure that Robert and Robin don't "hang out" anymore, and I'm sure that Banksy have read the book and had some laughs behind his suspicious interest when it comes to revealing who he is and his identity.