14 DAY TRIAL // Banksy, the internationally famous guerrilla artist reportedly hailing from Bristol, but whose identity still remains a mystery even for some of his closest collaborators, has just gotten a taste of his own medicine. Known for replacing classic paintings in museums in New York, Paris and London, Banksy has had his own work re-done by an unnamed graffiti artist, as if to remind him what urban art is all about, reports in the British media have it.
The latest Banksy graffiti appeared almost a month ago on the side of a power station, and it depicted a boy who had just written “Last Graffiti Before Motorway” on the wall. Although the artist is not in the habit of advertising, commercializing, or even speaking about his work, experts estimate that the most recent one could have been worth thousands of pounds at least. Now that it has been ruined, it will probably be washed away – but the statement the other artist made with it will linger on, it is further being said.
Banksy’s graffiti was completely ruined by an unknown man who scribbled in large, bold letters “Price-less” over it. Although neither Banksy nor the “vandal” have yet made any comments, it is believed that the latter is only trying to draw attention to what urban art really signifies, and to remind Banksy of what he left behind when he became famous on an international scale. If so, this would not be the first time that graffiti artists are stressing that he is no longer one of them.
A painting on a building in Gillett Square, Dalston, showing a boy with a ghetto-blaster and a teddy bear, also thought to be worth a small fortune, was ruined just a few days after it appeared, when someone sprayed on it the “love not money” words in blue paint. Just like now, then too Banksy refused to make any comment – via his publicist, since he rarely talks to the media himself.
He is known both for his graffiti work and for his pranks. In 2006, he doctored Paris Hilton’s “Paris” music album, altering about 500 copies of it and releasing them on the market for sale. Among the changes made, he included tracks like “Why Am I Famous?,” “What Have I done?,” and “What Am I Here For?” and photos showing the singer surrounded by homeless people or with her body, but the head of a dog. The doctored copies were described by Banksy’s publicist as a stand that “You can be a celebrity, but you don’t have to do music.”
