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When a wall painting by artist Banksy appeared on a garage wall in Port Talbot, the owner of the building, Ian Lewis, had no idea how many people would like to look at it. The mural attracted thousands of visitors and Lewis was keen to protect her by using guards and building a transparent blanket covering the work.
But should there even be security on a graffiti? After all, the essence of graffiti is that they are temporary and can be covered by the slogan or the next image. It has long been one of the means by which people can make their point of view public in a very public way without official sanction. This is a form of protest that visually occupies public space and requires no approval or often no individual credit.
The list of graffiti artists recognized in the world of contemporary art is not long. The Fairey Shepherd, who designed the Obama "Hope" poster, and Jean Michel Basquiat are two of the best known. Banksy himself reportedly said he never needed commercial success and that it was in fact a sign of failure for a graffiti artist.
A high sentiment, whether he likes it or not, the popularity of Banksy's work is phenomenal. The clean style of the stencil, combined with clever political commentary and visual wordplay, is easy to read. It is enough to satisfy even those for whom the art should consist of a "correct image of something".
It is also very suitable for reproduction and copying. In fact, I have a cup adorned with Banksy style rats sitting on my desk writing. This is what happens when an iconoclast becomes an icon. What began as a practice that deliberately turned the concept of art into an exclusive and expensive investment has now become as commonplace as Damien Hirst's latest work.
The bankability of Banksy
I am personally aware of some of Banksy's most recent work. I totally agree with the political nature of the picture and most certainly shares a lot of his ideological feelings, but he is becoming a parody of himself. For example, if it is easy to understand what he said with the self-destructive drawing "Love is in the trash", which has just been auctioned, no one could convince me that he was not aware of the effect this action would have on its profitability.
Given that he knows the impact of his work, is it selfish for Banksy to impose this last article on the unsuspecting garagiste? Or was it an act of extreme philanthropy to offer Port Talbot a gift that could be used for the benefit of the individual or the community? He had to know that Lewis would be the object of attention, and the inevitability of this imposed cultural responsibility had to at least have gone through the mind of Banksy.
Public art comes in a variety of forms, from monumental statues commemorating historical figures to temporary and often illegal murals created by contemporary graffiti artists. My own practice is based on an ethic of inclusion that places the neighboring community at the center of decisions regarding its creation, theme and management.
Because of this philosophical background, I find that the imposition of his work by Banksy without regard to its effects on the local community is irritating. However, the issues it raises, such as the capitalist obsession for growth rather than sustainability, and industrial air pollution are important and relevant to a much broader community. So I appreciate that by using his fame to draw attention to him, he is performing some form of public service.
The Welsh government has since confirmed that it would badume the security of Port Talbot's works of art and discuss its future. Whether it is on purpose or because the use of the work does not interest him, it is part of Banksy's artistic practice to leave the work to the mercy of others when it is finished. However, it could be argued that he could have used some of his own money to protect the work and ease the grief caused to the mechanic.
Personally, I would like the work to be sold and the proceeds of the sale to be used to solve some of the social and political problems Banksy brings to light in his work. It worked for Dennis Stinchcombe who, when a mural titled Mobile Lovers appeared on the doorstep of his youth club in Bristol in 2014, sold the job and used the funds to save the troubled organization.
Whatever happens now, one thing is certain: Banksy certainly knows how to get his work done in the news.
Janice Aitken, Reader in Art and Design, University of Dundee
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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