Asked about his technique, Banksy said: “I use whatever it takes. Sometimes that just means drawing a mustache on a girl’s face on some billboard, sometimes that means sweating for days over an intricate drawing. Efficiency is the key.” Wait, who is Banksy, you ask? Maybe we should explain first of all.

Who is Banksy?

Banksy is an anonymous British artist specializing in graffiti street art. He’s especially known for his stencil art style and satirical artworks which often take on topics such as politics, culture, and ethics. Banksy has gone from a teenage tagger to a well-known artist making multi-million dollar art which is often imitated but never duplicated. His style and political messages have, ironically, been wholeheartedly embraced by the very type of people he mocks.

Despite his renown, Banksy’s identity is still shrouded in mystery. According to Tristan Manco — a street art expert — Banksy was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England. He said, “The son of a photocopier technician, [Banksy] trained as a butcher but became involved in graffiti art during the great Bristol aerosol boom of the late 1980s.” Banksy’s rats are one of his most recognizable motifs from early in his career and are a nod to Blek Le Rat, a famous graffiti artist in France who Banksy was inspired by. The rats can also be read as a metaphor for the unstoppable force from the streets that is graffiti. Banksy also said, “If you feel dirty, insignificant or unloved, then rats are a good role model.”

Can I buy one?

According to Wikipedia, Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti (why should anyone be interested in buying PHOTOS of graffiti in the first place?). Art auctioneers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.

Technique

He mentions in his book, ‘Wall and Piece‘, that as he was starting to do graffiti that he was always too slow and was either caught or could never finish the art in the one sitting. So he devised a series of intricate stencils to help minimize the time spent on the street and stop the spray paint colors from overlapping. Enough of the theory, I’m sure most of you know more about him and will share it in the comment section. Happy scrolling!

(Sources:  banksy.co.uk | Wikipedia | www.briansewell.com | boredpanda| weburbanist.com |timesonline.co.uk)

Washing

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

“Ignorance can be costly in the Banksy exploitation business. It was reported that “bungling workmen painted over a mural by famous graffiti artist Banksy worth £100,000″. Last week, 60-year-old Sam Khan, purveyor of luggage and football scarves to the denizens of Tottenham Court Road, London, was inconsolable after flogging a Banksy that had been painted on his stall for £1,000 and discovering that it could be worth £500,000. Poor love.” (guardian.co.uk)

Stream Roller Warden

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Banksy’s real name is not, as is commonly believed and has been widely reported, Robert or Robin Banks. In July 2008, it was claimed by The Mail on Sunday that Banksy’s identity is Robin Gunningham.

Maid in London

(Image credits canonsnapper via boredpanda)

One of Banksy’s Rats

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Virtual Play, Los Angeles

(Image credits: Cody Simms via boredpanda)

Guantanamo

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Secured

(Image credits: Trois Tetes (TT) via boredpanda)

Cowboy Kid

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Girl Sliding, London, UK

(Image credits: unusualimage via boredpanda)

You Looked Better on Myspace, Los Angeles, USA

(Image credits: Anya_ via boredpanda)

Not sure whether it’s Banksy or not, anybody?

Zorro

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Snorting Copper

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(Image credits: What What via boredpanda)

After following a white paint trail around the streets of Shoreditch it ends up at this piece of stencil art.

No Ball Games

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Barcode Escape

(Image credits: a_kep via boredpanda)

Peaches

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Banksy’s New Orleans Tour

The British artist’s recent journey to America included a trip to New Orleans to decorate some of the buildings affected by Hurricane Katrina. On his website, Banksy talks about his first impressions of Nola: “I looked out the window of the taxi on the drive into New Orleans and remarked – “There’s still so much devastation – I can’t believe they haven’t cleaned this mess up.” To which the driver stared at me and said “This part of wasn’t affected by the hurricane – it’s always looked like this.”

Girl With Umbrella

(image credits: artbymags via boredpanda)

Boy and Umbrella

(Image credits: Karen Apricot New Orleans via boredpanda)

No Loitering

(Image credits: unknown)

Abraham Lincoln

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Banksy Rat and a Girl

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Banksy Fridge Kite

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(Image credits: Infrogmation via boredpanda)

It WAS on St. Claude Avenue. Currently it looks like this: view

Simpsons

(Image credits:the lonely villein via boredpanda)

Boy on a Lifebuoy

(Image credits: lacraig819 via boredpanda)

Someone ruined it, view here.

Looters

(Image credits: Infrogmation via boredpanda)

Someone damaged it by sticking a big Obama’s face on it, view here.

Banksy in Palestine

“How illegal is it to vandalize a wall”, asks Banksy in his website introduction to his Wall project, if the wall itself has been deemed unlawful by the International Court of Justice? The Israeli government is building a wall surrounding the occupied Palestinian territories. It stands three times the height of the Berlin wall and will eventually run for over 700km – the distance from London to Zurich.

The “guerrilla artist” Banksy has helped to transform the security barrier that surrounds the town with more than a dozen satirical artworks painted, plastered, and sprayed onto the 8m-high (26ft) concrete. The work winds a trail to the heart of the city at Manger Square, where more than a dozen pieces are housed directly across from the Church of the Nativity. More info on the Wall project, here. Wach video here.

Girl and a Soldier

(Image credits: unknown)

Located on the side of a building in Bethlehem, Occupied West Bank. The political artwork is located on one of the main roads, leading out towards the Bethlehem checkpoint to Jerusalem. It is drawn on the side of a building, not on the Wall itself, largely for security reasons. The soldiers do not take kindly to professional entities spending a lot of time at one place on the wall. Such people are generally arrested for terrorist activity and accused of trying to destroy, blow up, or weaken the structure.

Tank

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(Image credits: eddiedangerous via boredpanda)

Cut Out

(Image credits: unknown)

Dove

(Image credits: hazy jenius via boredpanda)

“This wall marks the spot where over 40 people were killed during the first resistance or Intifada (the little holes along the top are from bullets).

While Banksy was painting it a lot of people came over, some to shake his hand and others telling him to go away. Eventually, the local MP was called out to diffuse the eighty-strong crowd that had built up (by which time Banksy had left and the piece was completed by the local kids).” – eddiedangerous

Chairs

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Rage

(Image credits: Paul Wood)

Girl with Balloons

(Image credits amerune via boredpanda)

Horse

(Image credits: briansewell.com via boredpanda)

Gap in the Wall

(Image credits: jamestraceur via boredpanda)

Snowman

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

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Not so much of a satirical artwork or one of his usual pieces, but it’s on Banksy’s official website.

Baby Bath

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Eat the Rich

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Kissing Coppers

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Hunters

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

KKK

(Image credits: Dystopos via boredpanda)

Kentucky Fox

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Phone Boxes, New York City, USA

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

BBoy

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

Take This Society

(Image credits: eddiedangerous via boredpanda)

Wider view

In February, 2008 a stencil art graffiti piece appeared on Thames Water tower in the middle of the Holland Park roundabout, and it was widely attributed to Banksy. It was of a child painting the tag “Take this Society” in bright orange. London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham spokesman, Councillor Greg Smith branded the art as vandalism and ordered its immediate removal, which was carried out by H&F council workmen within three days.

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Flower

(Image credits banksy via boredpanda)

What Are You Looking at?

(Image credits: nolifebeforecoffee via boredpanda)

One Nation Under CCTV

(Image credits: ogglog via boredpanda)

The Westminster City Council stated in October 2008 that the work “One Nation Under CCTV”, painted in April 2008 will be painted over as it is graffiti. The council says it will remove any graffiti, regardless of the reputation of its creator, and specifically stated that the famous graffiti artist has no more right to paint on walls than a child. The work was painted over in April 2009.

Cashpoint Girl, London, UK

(Image credits: Trois Tetes (TT) via boredpanda)

Graffiti Area

(Image credits: What What via boredpanda)

Trying To Open The Lock

(Image credits: Tal Bright via boredpanda)

Banksy Rat Mural on Canal Street, Chinatown, New York City

(Image credits: caruba via boredpanda)

Rude Boy Banksy Rat

(Image credits: What What via boredpanda)

Blank Walls

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(Image credits: Broken Simulacra via boredpanda)

This one is in Melbourne, not sure if it’s really Banksy.

Radioactive Rats

(Image credits: What What via boredpanda)

“Ah rats, spilled the nuclear waste.”

Banksy Rats Living Off the Wall

(Image credits: What What via boredpanda)

“Rat Restaurant with red carpet.”

Cave Painting

(Image credits: badjonni via boredpanda)

Huge Banksy Rat Mural, Liverpool, UK

(Image credits: Klara Kim via boredpanda)

Urban Education

(Image credits: wokka via boredpanda)

Oh wait, this is not Banksy! Well, ok – lets leave it here.

Thug for Life

(Image credits: silverfox09 via boredpanda)

Tesco

(Image credits: jordi.martorell via boredpanda)

“Hordes of photographers descended on Savemain pharmacy in Essex Road, Islington, after the so-called “guerrilla artist” Banksy painted a large mural on the wall. It depicts three children pledging allegiance to a flagpole with a Tesco plastic bag flying from it.” – Islington Gazette

Girl Holding a Bomb

(Image credits: kai (=herrner) via boredpanda)

Jumping Girl

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(Image credits: unknown)

Ice Cream Bomb

(Image credits: matski_98 via boredpanda)

Pulp

(Image credits: StefZ via boredpanda)

Banksy Rats with Signs

(Image credits: tiny_tear via boredpanda)

These are in two different locations. Supposedly, these stencils were drawn over other messages that were previously left by other graffiti artists.

Banksy Sniper & Boy, Bristol, UK

(Image credits: JOHN19701970 via boredpanda)

Anti-capitalism for Sale, Los Angeles

(Image credits: Cody Simms via boredpanda)

No Ball Games, London, UK

(Image credits: steve_w via boredpanda)

The Mild Mild West, Bristol, UK

(Image credits: Trois Tetes (TT) via boredpanda)

Rat Race, New Zealand

(Image credits: Riv via boredpanda)

Mona Lisa with Bazooka

(Image credits: unknown)

Hidden away on a wall overlooking the Thames at Trinity Buoy Wharf, London.

Mona Lisa Showing Her Bum

(Image credits: unknown)

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Just found some info on that, and it appears that this graffiti was done by Nick Walker, not Banksy.

Caveman, Los Angeles

(Image credits: Lord Jim via boredpanda)

Man and Picture of a Dog, London, UK

(Image credits: atomicShed via boredpanda)

TV Thrown from a Window, London, UK

(Image credits: mermaid99 via boredpanda)

Girl with Balloon, London, UK

(Image credits: David Boyle via boredpanda)

Artist, London, UK

(Image credits: unusualimage via boredpanda)

Naked Man

(Image credits: Ajuk via boredpanda)

Naked Man image by Banksy, on the wall of a sexual health clinic in Park Street, Bristol. Following popular support, the City Council has decided it will be allowed to remain.

P.S. If you like what you just saw you might be interested in Banksy’s best-selling book Wall and Piece.

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