The Banksy Machine - where it came from and where it's going

Image by edwardfilms via Flickr

Banksy the graffiti artist who found acceptance in the mainstream, a heap of cash and a larger and larger distance between himself and his fans, but did that ever matter?

A Bristol boy with a talent to draw, average in most respects but an eye for an image and a great way to display it. From the 90's Banksy always could produce memorable pieces, something those around him struggled to do. Yes they saw graf from across the water and produced Anglophied (!) versions, yes they looked good but did they leave a lasting impression? Those closest to it will say 'yes', but those who would see it in a picture or just in passing, with no knowledge it would be a 'no'. But Banksy always stood out.

And so he progressed to stencils, the myths say whilst under a train or whatever, but stencils were there before him and will be around long after him. What he did so well was distill what makes them so useful, speed and clarity, combined with his eye for a message and an image. The message, for some this was very important, the people's champion, the voice of the man on the street (who had a heart). He cared about the down trodden, the forgotten, the misunderstood and yet everyone could smile and not be angered. Brillant, a quiet riot for the disaffected classes.



And while tha voice grew louder, so a business was born around him. Those who followed him were puzzled, Banksy is selling what he gives to us? Well he needs to make a living and what he did was give them to those very people who he spoke to. Lots of images at prices that were reasonable. Whilst slowly on the side, the production of originals began, at first for those he spoke for, but quickly for those he didn't, who saw an opportunity and the business grew.

The business grew, the money rolled in, the links strengthened with those with the most money, whilst those lower down were swept away, their time and influence seemingly forgotten. The cheaper prints now, a tool for the odd charity, or movie production, but no longer disbursing the images, controlling their number ensuring the demand far outstripped supply, keeping his public waiting and wondering.

Images now appearing on the streets for specific purposes, the US conscious you say? Was it to question their values? Or to simply say 'Banksy?'. Or was one simply the by product of the other? And whilst the images became a means to an end, the question is, how long has this been the case?

And the forefront, an over riding image of an artful dodger, just getting by, and yet everything was for sale at the Museum, originals were for sale from the American tour, pdf's were sent to those with the largest wallets. So what are we to believe? That it's not about the money? No, at least partly there is now a business to support, an image to uphold, but it's not the person we first thought it was, those times have sadly passed and with it alot of the ideals we thought were so important.

The question more importantly is do we still care? Is there anybody to continue what was started?

Or, are we left with pale imitators who have seen a business model?

Is that Banksy's true legacy? As he slowly walks into the distance, hand in hand with the people he said this was never about?




disclaimor: I speak utter bollocks