Work of anonymous artist comes to Pittsburgh in Banksyland exhibit
His identity isn’t known.
But his art is recognizable throughout the world.
And now it will be seen in Pittsburgh.
Banksy is a street artist, political activist and film director who grew up in Bristol in South West England. His works have sold for millions of dollars.
Despite the widespread recognition and success, Banksy remains anonymous.
“Banksyland,” an exhibit showcasing his work will be on display until 8 p.m. Friday and noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Cadence+ event space in the Strip District
“His art speaks to people,” Britt Reyes, general manager of the international touring company Banksyland, said on Friday morning. “It is not about who he is. It’s about the art.”
The exhibit is housed on the second floor, featuring 85 pieces from more than 30 locations. Tickets are $30.
Reyes traveled to various places to purchase pieces. Some are from private collectors and others from galleries. Banksy signs 40% of his work, Reyes said.
“I tried to curate pieces that showcase his humanitarian work,” said Reyes, who is based in Portland, Ore. “We want to share it.”
She said they chose Pittsburgh as part of a 22-city tour because it’s “not an L.A. or New York,” and to her knowledge Banksy hasn’t been here before.
The pieces most likely will create talk, she said, because conversations happen around all art and especially Banksy’s.
Some of the first works guests will see are street signs with images of rodents.
“The rats symbolize the ‘rat race’ we live in and also the life of a graffiti artist who, like a rat, scurries at night and is thought to destroy property. There is sarcasm in his work.”
Banksy, with whom Reyes has communicated only via email, has created some sayings about his work such as:
“Nobody ever listened to me until they didn’t know who I was.”
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“Live as a villain. Die as a hero.”
“People say graffiti is ugly irresponsible and childish … but that’s only if it’s done properly.”
Banksy’s work is global.
He went into Ukraine during the war and created art. A piece he made in 2003 has the words “Wrong War” written on it and that message can be relatable to today, Reyes said: “Banksy is an advocate for peace.”
The show is unauthorized which means Banksy did not curate the exhibit, Reyes said.
“This is an opportunity for people in Pittsburgh to be able to see his work in person,” Reyes said. “It is so much better to see art in person. It’s like listening to your favorite band. The music sounds so much better live versus on the radio.”
Banksy made history when he left a “Girl With Balloon” in London’s Southbank in 2002. Others include “Love Is in the Air,” “Smiling Copper” and “Happy Chopper.” The exhibit shows original studio works, salvaged street art pieces and never-before-seen work.
A refugee boat has a welcome mat sign below that was made from the life vest of one of the occupants who did not survive, Reyes said.
There is a statue of a man holding daisies at a protest. Could it possibly be a Banksy self-portrait? We don’t know, Reyes said.
“Banksy is for peaceful protests,” she said. “He is not American, but he leans into historical moments.”
According to Pest Control, his agency, Banksy is “one of the most sought-after and talked-about urban artists in the world.”
He has garnered fame for his street works, which often combine spray paint and stenciling techniques.
Cans of spray paint are available for purchase in the gift shop.
Stenciling produces an image or pattern by applying paint or aerosol to a surface through an intermediate object with designed gaps in it which create the pattern or image by only allowing the pigment to reach some parts of the surface. The key advantage of a stencil is that it can be reused to repeatedly and rapidly produce the same design.
Banksy is often critical of big businesses, corporations, police and government. His work appears on the sides of buildings, billboards, and city walls from London to New York, from Jamaica to the Gaza Strip.
His works have appeared at the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and British Museum, but also in random parking lots in Los Angeles and near sewers and dumpsters in many of the biggest cities in the world.
According to the Associated Press, Banksy’s shredded artwork “Love Is in the Bin” sold for a record $25.4 million at an auction by Sotheby’s in London in October 2021, a record for the artist.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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