A review of lesser-known artworks to discover Banksy

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Over the past decades, Banksy have been one of the biggest (if not the biggest) names in the street art scene. Banksy’s rise to fame and notoriety was born from his controversial and often politically-charged stencilled graffiti works. Originally from England, Banksy’s work grew out from the Bristol underground art scene into a global phenomenon.

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Banksy’s painted elephant was a part of the show “Barely Legal” held in an industrial warehouse in Los Angeles, California in 2006. the show was meant to address important issues such as poverty, which is ignored by most people, the animal refers to the metaphor of the elephant in the room.

“Sirens of the Lambs” and it features a bunch of cuddly puppet animals peeking out of a truck, squealing (or at least squeaking) with fear. Its purpose was to bring attention to the cruel conditions real animals suffer when being transported from factory farms to slaughterhouses.

“little-known” paintings and prints mostly dating in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

Riot Painting features Banksy’s arguably most famous piece the “Flower Thrower”. At first glance it looks like a rioter about to throw a Molotov Cocktail. However this “rioter” is throwing a bouquet of flowers instead.

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Banksy’s sketches and versions of street signs.

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This is a sketch of one of Banksy’s more famous works “Sweep It Under The Carpet Maid”. Banksy explained the meaning behind the pictures: “In the bad old days, it was only popes and princes who had the money to pay for their portraits to be painted, this is a portrait of a maid called Leanne who cleaned my room in a Los Angeles motel. She was quite a feisty lady.”

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Rats are one of Banksy’s greatest sources of inspiration and one of the most prolific subjects in his work.

Banksy’s artwork is characterized by striking images, often combined with slogans. His work often involves political themes, such as war, capitalism, and consumerism. The common subjects of his works are policemen, members of the royal family, and children.

Banksy’s artwork has been seen across the world. His travels have included Australia, England, the United States, Israel, Jamaica, Canada, and more.

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Before his rise to fame, the guerrilla artist was said to be a goalkeeper for Bristol-based football club, Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls.

In 2001 he joined them on a tour of Mexico where he played against Zapatista freedom fighters and painted them a mural depicting their struggle for independence.

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The graffiti shows Banksy’s interpretation of Bernini’s Santa Teresa. It was frescoed on a wall opposite the Cloister of Santa Chiara. The saint in ecstasy is depicted with a McDonald’s meal and a Coca Cola on her lap. This juxtaposition of holiness and the mundane is thought to be a comment by Banksy on consumerism.

It was painted for the Backjumps (Issue #1) exhibition in 2003. Since then, it was slumbering for more than 8 years under 20 layers of colors in the Art-House “Bethanien“ which is located in Berlin Kreuzberg. “Every Picture Tells A Lie“ was said to got an incredible amount of visitors, who just came to see the works of Banksy while the visitors disregarded and ignored all other artworks, exhibitions which have been running in the same building.

This mural is located in the 4th district of Vienna and sprayed with the image of a girl and the words ‘Thug Lovin’. The door is also spray stenciled with ‘BANKSY’. It is dated around 2003-2004 when Banksy visited Vienna several times.

And a selection of Banksy’s earliest works with most works created before he started using stencils.

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In 1999, Banksy was a friend of the then owner of this property who let the artist hand paint his Slick on Brick artwork, depicting a monkey plunging a detonator to blow the door off a safe, on the outside wall of his garage/workshop.

The mural was then covered over in magnolia paint by a disapproving neighbour a year after. Banksy’s work now hidden in layers of paint have been estimated to amount around £400,000 if it is restored in a way that some of his previous works have been, said art experts.

The mural was then covered over in magnolia paint by a disapproving neighbour a year after. Banksy’s work now hidden in layers of paint have been estimated to amount around £400,000 if it is restored in a way that some of his previous works have been, said art experts.

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Banksy once stayed and painted at Carlton Arms, a Manhattan hotel that has been a haven for artists seeking lodging. 

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Source: streetartnews