Banksy’s altered painting “The Banality of the Banality of Evil” recently sold for $615,000 for a charity auction. What a large sum of money for a thrift store painting. The value of this painting brings up the question of what’s more reputable – Banksy himself doing the art or the art itself. An anonymous “British graffiti artist, purported millionaire, activist, filmmaker and prankster,” Banksy has gained notable fame and notoriety through his street art and recognizable stenciled images. With his popularity, both fans and haters alike search for his pieces created during his time in New York City. Even building owners who had previously have not even heard of Banksy started hiring guards and establishing gates to preserve their building who have been blessed by Banksy’s art.
Banksy’s “The Banality of the Banality of Evil.”
But what exactly dictates the value of a work of art anyway? Many works considered “modern art” just seem to be a jumble of scribbles and splashes of paint. The term abstract art just brings about ambiguity and questions the perspective of every individual in terms of analyzing art. What makes some works of art more valuable than others? The generality of such a field has no guidelines or set rules defining what aspects of art are worth more than others. WIth Banksy’s art, price isn’t a real problem. He has sold some of his own works, without the knowledge of the public, for $60 – although they can go up to six figure digits. However, the main question here is – are people inspired by Banksy’s political messages through his art, or are they hopping on the bandwagon and riding on his fame?
Article Link: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/banksy-altered-painting-brings-615000-at-auction/?ref=arts
I think that what inflates the prices of Banksy’s work is a combination of the political significance and the hype. In the beginning I think that his pieces, like the telephone booth in England, were incredibly significant and the fame they attracted were because of their message. However, now, I think that why people value Banksy’s work is because he is a mysterious figure who has generated a big enough following so that everything he does is a work of art. I frankly believe that some of the pieces he has produced in Brooklyn are not that impressive, but they still receive similar praise to that of his genius ideas.
I think Banksy is an interesting character. He protests against the errors of capitalism and sells his pieces for $60, yet his entire gig is spraying a plain stencil and inflating its price tens of thousands of dollars based on his name. I do praise him for his work, but I think he is and will become a contradiction.
I agree with Austin’s comment. Banksy is doomed to contradict himself, but unintentionally. Without a doubt, his inflated prices are due to the hype. He’s an anonymous figure going around leaving graffiti in random places and even more importantly, he interacts with his audience. He’s doing something kinda cool, so his art is kinda cool, and that makes people want it and expensive.
For the past month all I have been hearing about is Banksy this and Banksy that. “When will he strike again?” “What is he trying to prove? What is he trying to say? The answers to these questions are difficult, if not impossible to answer because Banksy is the phantom of the city; the artist with an unknown cause and ninja skills of creating art on buildings without getting caught. So what is all the hype about this British guy who sells his paintings for up to six figures?
I love that you unintentionally pose this question in your review Andrew. What makes modern art so great? What makes any art so great? I wish I knew the answer to these questions, just as I wish I knew where Banksy was right now.