Humayra Khanom, Tabassum Farhana, Lizbeth Ramirez

Banksy’s popularity sky-rocketed during his residency in NYC, as fans dashed around the city to figure out the location of his latest piece. It wasn’t just the art that made the artist; the anonymity, the adaptability, and the audience contributed to Banksy’s fame. Banksy remains anonymous to this day. Fans around the globe have speculated over his identity and beguiling ability to remain a mystery. It’s a wonder how Banksy’s been able to create his masterpieces with an entire city of people on the lookout, especially under police scrutiny. It was the secret of his identity and the puzzle of his law evasion that caught the attention of the public. 

The first comic of the series was created by Tabassum. It delves into the comical ways Banksy must have executed his daring escapes and remained a mysterious icon of the graffiti world. The second comic in the series was created by Humayra. It is a depiction of the audience’s fascination and obsession with Banksy’s art. It portrays people frantically searching for his hidden masterpieces, following clues and rumors in hopes of discovering his latest work. The last panel suggests that the audience’s interaction with the art was all part of Banksy’s plan. It reveals that Banksy intended for his art to be a part of a performance, with the audience unknowingly playing a role.

An often overlooked part of Graffiti is how artists utilize the terrain and its architectural details to enhance and create different styles of graffiti. Banksy created a Japanese footbridge scene by following this practice. The third comic in this series was created by Lizbeth. It shows how the architectural details of buildings are used by graffiti artists to create a new piece. As an example, the architectural details on the building of Day 17 served as a bridge for the two Japanese women dressed in a Kimono and Obi. Graffiti artists work with the city and what it offers them in terms of architectural details and designs. 

Links

Article: Photos of all 31 Days of Banksy’s NYC Residency, “Better Out Than In” and Map of Locations

Article: Who Is Banksy?

Article: Banksy in NYC Day 17: Traditional Japanese Footbridge Scene with Two Women in Kimonos in Bed Stuy