1. Banksy
Street Artist

2. Who is Banksy? English street artist with unknown identity.
From Bristol, England.
Graffiti artist, painter, activist, filmmaker
Active in graffiti art scene since 1990s.
From age of 18, created his own stencils to paint public spaces illegally.
Using stencils allowed him to work very quickly, without getting caught.
His work is often satirical and sometimes uses dark humor.
Created documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop in 2010.

3. Street Art
“Bombing” is the act of illegally spray-painting artwork on public spaces.
Street art is not just graffiti - can also include stickers and posters
Often makes political statements
Early in his career, Banksy was compared to U.S. street artists Jean Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, but they did not use stencils.
Why is it called “vandalism”? :
Some street artists began showing work in museums in the 1980s, creating works on canvas or on walls designated for their artwork.
Banksy
Keith Haring

4. History of Graffiti Tagging names seen as early as 1920s - 30s
in NYC defined graffiti as an art form in the form of elaborate murals
Developed by NYC youth
Part of hip hop culture
American art form that spread around the world
Still relevant as an art movement
Some street artists are able to use artistic skills practiced making graffiti to get artwork into museums.
This not the goal of most street artists, though it does lead to more fame and money.