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‘Guard dog poodle’ – art or eye sore?
Graffiti is usually seen as an anti-social eye sore – which of course it is – in many cases! It’s illegal and is something that connects a small percentage of society…
That is until Banksy hit London. No one supposedly knows who he is - yet his graffiti is now considered works of art – the most expensive selling recently for £288,000.
So, why is this being mentioned on our blog? I had lunch in a Shoreditch restaurant where Banksy had his work ‘exhibited’ – both the ‘Moona Lisa’ and ‘Guard dog poodle’*. I mentioned this to a friend of mine in Detroit and within seconds he had identified what restaurant I’d had lunch.
I found that an incredible use of the internet. The fact that it’s possible to identify one’s location with just a description of some graffiti – not just this – but that the internet has spread his work worldwide – of course he has also spread his work in places such as Israel – but his most prolific work is around the corner from our office.
I noticed yesterday that various walls near the Barbican had a couple of Banksy rats. The council had recently done a paint job – but painted around the rats. Probably as a result of the outcry that occurred when graffiti clean up services painting over one of his more favourite pieces (the Pulp Fiction characters with bananas instead of guns).
What makes Banksy’s work an art piece and other graffiti artists work mostly seen as an eye sore? Is it the fact his work has been photographed and passed around the world via the internet? Such as can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy.
Is the example of Banksy’s fame proof that through the use of the internet anyone can spread ‘their art’ without the need for traditional marketing routes. Through the internet he has shown that old fashioned word of mouth – or the more modern click of the mouse – his message can be seen and heard throughout the world. Messages from the ‘people’ is not simply limited to an area by a poster or sandwich board man in the town square as seen in days of old. Equally a message from big business that can be spread world-wide through big spending can also be spread for little cost via the internet. The internet has opened up the world of art to everyone – we are seeing it with the likes of Banksy with his graffiti art and Lilly Allen and Sandy Thom with their music…. But that’s a whole other story.
*http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/Banksy/Banksy_guard_dog.htm
