book data
726 ratings,
4.55
average rating, 120 reviews
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published
April 1st 2007
(first published 2006)
by Random House UK
binding
Paperback, 192 pages
isbn
1844137872
(isbn13: 9781844137879)
description
Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the wor...more
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avg 4.55
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in January, 2006
Everyone in Britain knows Banksy, but I'm often surprised to find that my US friends haven't heard of him. He's one of the funniest artists around, and has taken graffiti to a completely new level. The paintings and installations just turn up, in the most unlikely places. Here's one of my favorites, which was discovered one morning on the wall of a family planning clinic in Bristol. (Note the thematically appropriate content). The local authorities were going to remove it, but the doctors asked ...more
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Read in December, 2008
Banksy...ah. One of my favorite artistes...Yes, I mean to say that in French, because it sounds better. Anywho, Banksy, a classic Guerilla-Political-Mad-Skilled stencil artist-OK, so he's a graffitti artist. But in this book, you realize just from the photoes that he's a quick-witted guy, with a mysterious twang, which is really cool. His classic humor includes spraypainting on farm animals and a fetish for stencilling rats. My brother, a stencil artist who prefers painting his stencils onto cla...more
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Read in February, 2009
If you do not know Banksy, you do not know art.
Art as in confrontational, public, political, and utter satire.
He's a tagger/graffiti artist (supposedly anonymous) who bombs* London and the English countryside.
*bombing is the sorta-militant, hip-hop term for "defacing" public areas with your statement in graffiti. For taggers - it's all about the 'get-up' - ie, how frequently you bomb- how daringly public it is (like on the wall of a London Police Station in the middle...more
Art as in confrontational, public, political, and utter satire.
He's a tagger/graffiti artist (supposedly anonymous) who bombs* London and the English countryside.
*bombing is the sorta-militant, hip-hop term for "defacing" public areas with your statement in graffiti. For taggers - it's all about the 'get-up' - ie, how frequently you bomb- how daringly public it is (like on the wall of a London Police Station in the middle...more
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Read in May, 2009
First of all, you can find out a little about Banksy, the pseudo-anonymous graffiti artist, Here.
The copyright page of this book contains the label "Copyright is for Losers" along with the statement that "against his better judgment Banksy has asserted his right... to be identified as the author of this work." There is also a disclaimer from the publisher: "This book shows the creative/artist element of graffiti art and is not meant to encourage or induce gra...more
The copyright page of this book contains the label "Copyright is for Losers" along with the statement that "against his better judgment Banksy has asserted his right... to be identified as the author of this work." There is also a disclaimer from the publisher: "This book shows the creative/artist element of graffiti art and is not meant to encourage or induce gra...more
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British graffiti, guerilla installation, etc. artist's book of documented works and quotes. It's great fun for anyone with a bit of an anarchist bent to their personality. Even if, for some reason, you strongly disapprove of graffiti, you gotta admit Banksy's stuff is pretty cool (I think you do anyway, but who am I to tell you what to think). He may be too well known and hip for his political message to be heard now, unfortunately... I'm not sure, but it's my sense that to a lot of folks onc...more
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about a month or so ago i was walking home on houston street and noticed one of those huge side-of-a-building ads. it was a giant rat holding a paint roller with 'no publicity is good publicity' underneath. except underneath the white background of the rat appeared to be a fox 5 ad. i couldn't quite figure out if it was some weird ad-pretending-not-to-be-an-ad, or something else, and then just chalked it up to weird NYC shit.
a week later there's a NY times article about this guy...more
a week later there's a NY times article about this guy...more
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Banksy has some very clever and thought-provoking art. This book was a very interesting look at some of the art of one of the best (if not the best) stencil-graffiti artist in the world.
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This guy is definitely the best at what he does. I love going through this book over and over and finding new subtleties on each page. His art will crack you up and make you think...I like the little rats especially (you cant go wrong with rats in hats). Check out the tips for stenciling at the end...its very clever. "The time of getting fame for your name on its own is over. Artwork that is only about wanting to be famous will never make you famous. Fame is a by-product of doing somethin...more
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Read in September, 2008
I love street art and guerilla advertising. This book has it all. The creme de la creme of the world. While you may not look at street art or graffiti as "real art", hopefully, it willrovide the reader with some insight into the minds of these creative people as they attempt to add humor, insight or a pause to reflect aboujt what's going on in our ever increasingly chaotic world that attempts to grab our attention for selling antacids or cartoon clowns designed to make children crav...more
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Read in September, 2008
recommended to Alexis by:
claricerecommends it for: artists, fans of graffiti art
In response to the billboards and posters that prominently display ads, slogans, and other corporate messages, Banksy also uses the wall to fight back with his own messages. About his fight against The Advertisers, he claims “they have rearranged the world to put themselves in front of you,” and therefore retaliates with what he calls “brandalism,” using their own trademarks against them. Many of his works can be considered surreal, depicting realistic and recognizable figures warped by ...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Everybody
"There is no way you're going to get a quote from us to use on your book cover." - Metropolitan Police Spokesperson
Banksy is a world renowned graffiti artist who uses stencils to portray images that are usually politically motivated. The designs he comes up with are always intelligent, and the placement of his graffiti is well thought out. He's not the type of person to just walk up and paint something. You can tell that he saw a spot, decided what should go there, went ...more
Banksy is a world renowned graffiti artist who uses stencils to portray images that are usually politically motivated. The designs he comes up with are always intelligent, and the placement of his graffiti is well thought out. He's not the type of person to just walk up and paint something. You can tell that he saw a spot, decided what should go there, went ...more
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Matthew by:
Kara Astrouskirecommends it for: everyone
If you do not know Banksy, then I suggest you get familiar with his work right now...it is some of the most relevant, imaginative, humorous, and controversial art I have ever encountered. Imagine the collage artist Winston Smith, but simplified, writ large, and illegally placed within the culture on which it makes it comment. Society is his subject and therefore the work uses cities as part of the art...you must see this book of photos to fully appreciate what he is saying and how it is he says ...more
Read in August, 2007
This image, which is wrapped around the cover of the book in a way that doesn’t let you see the punch line, caught my attention and drew me in. I sat with the book at Barnes & Noble for about 20 minutes and decided I needed to buy it and bring it home.
I think I may have seen some of Banksy’s graffiti art in Paris. Whether it actually was or not, I liked it and the images here a lot. Especially the rats. I think there’s a place for creative graffiti in the world.
I us...more
I think I may have seen some of Banksy’s graffiti art in Paris. Whether it actually was or not, I liked it and the images here a lot. Especially the rats. I think there’s a place for creative graffiti in the world.
I us...more
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Read in January, 2006
"Nobody ever listened to me until the didn’t know who I was”
- Banksy
I’ve always been a fan of street art, loving graffiti from the minute I saw Beat Street in my parent’s suburban home. I am not going to argue that every tag is beautiful, but some definitely are, and I defy you to point out a visual medium that engages the public more than graf.
Still, a lot of it is pretty boring. Kids writing their names on walls can only hold one’s inter...more
- Banksy
I’ve always been a fan of street art, loving graffiti from the minute I saw Beat Street in my parent’s suburban home. I am not going to argue that every tag is beautiful, but some definitely are, and I defy you to point out a visual medium that engages the public more than graf.
Still, a lot of it is pretty boring. Kids writing their names on walls can only hold one’s inter...more
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Read in October, 2008
Banksy is my hero.
Brilliant and heartbreaking and hilarious, all at once.
What balls.
If you are unfamiliar with his work, I recommend visiting his site and getting to know him a little - somehow, "graffiti artist" just doesn't seem to cut it.
Brilliant and heartbreaking and hilarious, all at once.
What balls.
If you are unfamiliar with his work, I recommend visiting his site and getting to know him a little - somehow, "graffiti artist" just doesn't seem to cut it.
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Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
ruffians
Banky cracks me up. Although I don't approve of vandalism generally, I can make an exception for someone who breaks into museums and installs his own paintings. This book collects snapshots of much of his best stencil/graffiti work (in London & around the world) as well as other pranks of varying nature. For example:
-he breaks into the Barcelona zoo and gives the animals signs like "HELP ME I'M A CELEBRITY"
-he posts fake but official looking "Designated ...more
-he breaks into the Barcelona zoo and gives the animals signs like "HELP ME I'M A CELEBRITY"
-he posts fake but official looking "Designated ...more
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Love love love Banksy's rat stencils. Lots of his work is fun and witty and a great play on space... this book does a great job in capturing the essence of his pieces through wonderful photos that take you through the urban landscape... but I do find some of Banksy's themes tiring, like the whole anti-establishment thing, I get it and I can't say I disagree with what he has to say, but it just tires me.
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I have no intention of putting every art book on here I have ever flipped through, but this is one I actually read from front to back and was very impressed with. The artwork is phenomenal and the writing is very interesting and funny. If you have never heard of Banksy, this would be a great way to get introduced to this enigmatic artist.
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Read in May, 2009
Banksy's work is awe-inspiring plus he's hilarious. An artist with a twisted sense of humor doing deadly serious installations... on the sides of cows. I'm a graffiti fan, but I think Banksy transcends the genre with ease. This guy is brilliant. Not to be missed.
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People should keep a copy of this book within reach because they may be confronted at any time with the insistent buzz of an expert, or of defenders of official positions as truth. When this happens it has an effect something like that of aspirin or alcohol.
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quotes from this book
"Remember crime against property is not real crime. People look at an oil painting and admire the use of brushstrokes to convey meaning. People look at a graffiti painting and admire the use of a drainpipe to gain access."
More quotes...
